Enhanced thrombin generation in patients with arterial hypertension.

Background: Arterial hypertension is associated with greater risk of cardiovascular diseases and thrombotic complications, suggesting that hypertension is a prothrombotic state.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between arterial hypertension and thrombin generation, and between blood pressure level and thrombin generation in hypertensive patients.

Methods: A total of 165 hypertensive patients and 47 healthy adults controls were include in the study. Thrombin generation was assessed in both groups by the Calibrated Automated Thrombogram (CAT) method. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was also performed for all patients in the hypertensive group.

Results: Hypertensive patients had significantly higher levels of ETP and peak heights compared to healthy controls; means of ETP 1720.6 ± 267 and 1544.7 ± 302, respectively (P < 0.001) and means of peak height were 297.26 ± 48 and, 273 ± 53, respectively (P < 0.001). On multivariate linear regression analysis, hypertension remained independently associated with increased ETP (β = 0.185, P = 0.047). Analysis restricted to the hypertensive group with ABPM measurement showed statistically significant correlations between all measures of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and ETP, and multivariate analysis showed that awake DBP was significantly associated with ETP (β = 0.194 for each 1-mm Hg increase in awake DBP, P = 0.012). Furthermore, hypertensive patients with cardiovascular complications had statistically elevated levels of peak height compared to hypertensive patients without cardiovascular complications.

Conclusions: Hypertensive patients possess enhanced thrombin generation compared healthy controls. Diastolic blood pressure level is independently correlated with increased thrombin generation in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that arterial hypertension is a prothrombotic state.