Blunted heart rate dip during sleep and all-cause mortality.

Background: Although it has been somewhat overlooked, resting heart rate is an established predictor of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular outcome. We assessed the determinants and mortality associations of heart rate measured during ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to evaluate its informativeness during activity and sleep.

Methods: We studied a cohort of 3957 patients aged 55 +/- 16 (mean +/- SD) years (58% treated for hypertension) who were referred for ABPM during 1991 to 2005.

Predictors of all-cause mortality in clinical ambulatory monitoring: unique aspects of blood pressure during sleep.

The prognostic value of sleep blood pressure reported by recent studies is variable. Our aim was to examine the relationship of sleep blood pressure, measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, with all-cause mortality. We studied a cohort of 3957 patients aged 55+/-16 (58% treated) referred for ambulatory monitoring (1991-2005).

Non-dipping in diabetic patients: insights from the siesta.

Non-dipping, ie failure to lower blood pressure during sleep, has been found to be more prevalent in diabetic than in non-diabetic subjects. However, the reasons remain to be clarified. Diabetic patients may wake up more frequently during the night (for instance, due to nocturia).

The effect of the fast of Ramadan on ambulatory blood pressure in treated hypertensives.

Every year, millions of Moslems throughout the world fast from sunrise till sunset daily during the month of Ramadan, that is, experience repeated cycles of fasting-refeeding. Studies in animal models have shown that repeated cycles of fasting-refeeding may cause or exacerbate hypertension. Changes in sleeping patterns as well as changes in medication timing may also influence ambulatory blood pressure.