People with higher blood pressure overnight are at higher risk of stroke or heart failure

What is it about?

This new study from the University of Oxford looked at 24-hour blood pressure patterns in patients admitted to hospital and found that nearly half of these patients have a blood pressure rise at night (‘reverse-dipper pattern). The study researchers then looked at blood pressure patterns from patients in primary care from the same age group (40-75), who had been monitored for 24 hours during their normal daily activities using ABPM. The proportion of the population in this group who were ‘reverse-dippers’ was around 15%. There are several possible reasons for the difference in the proportion of people found to have a ‘reverse dipping’ blood pressure pattern in the two patient groups.

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The Oxford study reveals that night-time blood pressure assessment is important in diagnosing hypertension. Specifically, the study finds that around 15% of people aged 40-75 may have a form of undiagnosed high blood pressure (hypertension) that occurs only at night-time. Because they do not know about this, and therefore are not being treated for it, they are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke, heart failure, and even death, suggests the new research from the University of Oxford published in the British Journal of General Practice.

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