BLOOD-PRESSURE CHANGES AFTER EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK-WAVE LITHOTRIPSY INNORMOTENSIVE PATIENTS

To evaluate the blood pressure changes caused by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy 102 patients 5 to 81 years old (mean age 40 years) wi th normal blood pressure and kidney lithiasis were monitored during a mean period of 22 months. There were 61 male (group 1) and 41 female ( group 2) patients. Patients were evaluated by measurement of the diast olic pressure and the average arterial pressure before and after litho tripsy. Hypertension was considered when the diastolic pressure was gr eater than 90 mm. Hg for 2 weeks. The amount of shock waves applied in each case ranged from 1,250 to 6,000, with a mean of 4,000 shock wave s at a median intensity of 18.1 kv. The incidence of hypertension afte r extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was 3.92%, which is similar to that of a normal population, although the diastolic pressure was stat istically higher after treatment in both groups. In the male patients the diastolic pressure increased from 79.26 (+/-9.7) to 81.47 (+/-10.1 ) mm. Hg and in female patients it ranged from 76.58 (+/-8.3) to 79.26 (+/-9.9) mm. Hg. Similarly, the average arterial pressure was equally higher in the female group, ranging from 89.88 to 91.75 mm. Hg. In th e male group the difference was not statistically significant, despite an increase from 94.5 to 95.8 mm. Hg.