Transient cardiac ischaemia and abnormal variations in systemic blood pressure in unselected primary open angle glaucoma patients.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the occurrence of transient cardiac ischaemic episodes and variations in the ambulatory 24-h blood pressure and heart rate measurements in a group of unselected glaucoma patients.

Design: Prospective study.

Participants: Twenty-four consecutive glaucoma patients and 23 age-matched controls were included in the present study.

Methods: The participants were subjected to an ambulatory 24-h blood pressure and electrocardiogram monitoring. The number and duration of transient cardiac ischaemic events as well as the longest ischaemic event (LIE) and its relationship to the recorded systemic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) values were also analyzed.

Results: Overall, in glaucoma patients, LIE was also associated with a significant increase in diastolic and mean BP (p = 0.007 and p = 0.003 respectively) and HR (p = 0.007). However, six glaucoma patients (46.86%) failed to demonstrate any significant BP changes during the LIE (p > 0.05). Four of these patients also failed to demonstrate any significant HR changes during the LIE (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: As opposed to age-matched controls, in glaucoma patients the systemic circulatory responses associated with significant transient cardiac ischaemic events were highly variable.