Abstract
Objective: We set reference central blood pressure levels in consideration of presence or absence of atherosclerosis findings and examined their significance in health check-ups as well as target levels for health guidance.
Methods: We measured central blood pressures in 316 health check-up examinees with normal brachial blood pressures (systolic pressure<130 mmHg, diastolic pressure<85 mmHg; not under treatment) by tonometry and derived reference levels through ROC analysis of atherosclerosis findings in chest X-ray, ECG, ocular fundus, carotid artery, and brain MRI/MRA examinations. We also considered appropriate values for health guidance.
Results: From the maximum likelihood ratio point on the ROC curve, the reference central blood pressure was 125 mmHg. Also for systolic pressures of 120 mmHg and above and diastolic pressures of 75 mmHg and above, there was a marked increase in the number of subjects with high central blood pressures.
Conclusion: A large number of subjects had high central blood pressures despite being in the normal brachial blood pressure range so it would be possible to discover latent cases of atherosclerosis through central blood pressure measurements. Also, for health guidance purposes, it would be desirable to have target systolic and diastolic blood pressures of less than 120 mmHg and less than 75 mmHg, respectively.
