Pre-hypertension and central aortic haemodynamics

Abstract

One quarter of any community may have normal (normal/high-normal) as opposed to optimal or hypertensive blood pressures (BP). These individuals may be at risk for a BP-related cardiovascular event, but do not qualify for BP-lowering therapy as those at risk are difficult to identify. In the present thesis I sought to determine whether aspects of non-invasively determined aortic BP may refine BPrelated cardiovascular risk assessment in those with brachial BP values within normotensive ranges. In 1169 participants from a community sample of African ancestry, 319 (27%)