Hemodynamic parameters in hypertensive diabetic patients

OBJECTIVE:Despite adequate glycemic and blood pressure control, diabetic hypertensives remain at increased cardiovascular risk. Aortic stiffness and pulse pressure (PP) amplification may provide complementary information to correct cardiovascular risk. We aim to determine whether these hemodynamic parameters are interrelated or not and to explore the factors related to pressure pulsatility. METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted in 351 patients, involving controls, hypertensives without diabetes and diabetic patients with or without hypertension. Hemodynamic parameters were determined by applanation tonometry. Multivariate regression analyses evaluated the interest of therapeutic strategies. RESULTS:Aortic stiffness and PP amplification were not interrelated (P = 0.32) in multivariate-adjusted analysis and were both independently associated with previous cardiovascular events. Although disproportionately increased aortic stiffness in diabetic hypertensives (P