Circadian variation of blood pressure and heart rate in normotensives, white-coat, masked, treated and untreated hypertensives.

Introduction: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) forms the basis for the diagnosis of masked hypertension, a condition associated with increased target organ damage, and of white-coat hypertension, a common condition among subjects referred to hypertensive centers. The aim of this study was to compare the circadian blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) profiles in 1676 Greek subjects in order to identify the circadian patterns in these two categories of patient.

Methods: A total of 1676 subjects underwent 24-hour ABPM.

Dipping status and hostility in newly diagnosed essential hypertension.

Aim: Personality traits, including hostility, play an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, abnormalities in blood pressure circadian pattern, such as a lack of nocturnal BP fall, are related with target organ damage and increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of hostility and its dimensions on dipping status, in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.