Anti hypertensive medication can reduce BP variability
Blood pressure variability can be assessed either from ambulatory BP recordings or from multiple clinic visit recordings. BP variability is associated with target organ damage and future cardiovascular events [1]. A study published in the Journal of American Heart Association reported that elderly persons treated with antihypertensive medication for two years had a lower BP variability [2]. They also noted that high systolic BP variability was associated with increased mortality on long term follow up.
References
- Chowdhury EK, Owen A, Krum H, Wing LMH, Nelson MR, Reid CM. Second Australian National Blood Pressure Study Management Committee. Systolic blood pressure variability is an important predictor of cardiovascular outcomes in elderly hypertensive patients. J Hypertens. 2014; 32:525–533.
- Chowdhury EK, Nelson MR, Wing LMH, Jennings GLR, Beilin LJ, Reid CM; Second Australian National Blood Pressure Study Group. Change in Blood Pressure Variability Among Treated Elderly Hypertensive Patients and Its Association With Mortality. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019 Nov 5;8(21):e012630.