Blood pressure components and cardiovascular events in older adults: The Rotterdam Study

OBJECTIVES: To compare the strength of the relative risks of systolic (SBP) diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) as predictors of myocardial infarction and stroke in older adults. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: The Rotterdam Study, a Dutch population-based study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 4,234 subjects aged 55 and older with no previous myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Blood pressure levels at baseline, first MI and stroke, all-cause mortality during follow-up. RESULTS: During follow-up, 205 subjects had an MI (average follow-up period 7 years), 137 subjects had a stroke (average follow-up period 6.1 years), and 748 subjects died. A 1-standard deviation difference in SBP, DBP, and PP was 4 associated with relative risks of MI of 1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-1.46), 1.07 (0.92-1.25), and 1.25 (1.07-1.48), respectively. Corresponding relative risks for stroke were 1.59 (1.37-1.86), 1.27 (1.10-1.48), and 1.48 (1.27-1.72). For all-cause mortality the corresponding relative risks and 95% CI were 1.21 (1.11-1.31), 1.06 (0.99-1.14), and 1.20 (1.10-1.31). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that, in a population of apparently healthy older adults, PP is not a better predictor of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality than SBP.

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