Within-visit BP variability, cardiovascular risk factors, and BP control in central and eastern Europe: Findings from the BP-CARE study

Introduction and objective: Blood pressure variability (BPV) within 24 h or between visits has been found to represent an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The present study was aimed at determining whether a clinical significance can be given also to the BP variations occurring within a single clinical visit. Methods: BPV was quantified as coefficient of variation and as standard deviation (SD) of the mean of three systolic SBP values within a visit in the context of a largecross subclinical survey (BP-CARE) of treated hypertensive patients living in Eastern European countries. The study population was divided into coefficient of variation and SD quartiles and for each quartile a relationship was sought with a large number of cardiovascular risk factors based on patients' history, physical and laboratory examinations. Results: The 6425 hypertensive patients had an age of 59.2±11 years (mean±SD); they were equally distributed by sex and displayed an average SD and coefficient of variation amounting to 5.1±6.2mmHg and 3.5±4.0%, respectively. Compared with the lowest coefficient of variation quartile (Q1), patients in the highest quartile (Q4) showed a significantly greater prevalence of several cardiovascular risk factors, such as age (Q1: 58.5±11 vs. Q4: 60.3±11 years, P