IMPAIRED MICROCIRCULATION IN MILD-TO-MODERATE ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION

Objective: The aim of this study was to correlate capillary morphology and erythrocyte velocity to blood pressure in mild-to-moderate essent ial arterial hypertension. Design: Ambulatory blood pressure measureme nt may provide more precise information about a patient's mean blood p ressure than office measurements. Methods: Fifteen patients with recen tly diagnosed, previously untreated mild-to-moderate essential hyperte nsion underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure recording and a capilla roscopic examination of finger microcirculation. Erythrocyte velocity was determined by the flying spot technique. Results: Both mean 24-h a mbulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) and mean 24-h ambulatory diast olic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly inversely correlated with capillarY erythrocyte velocity. However, the correlation between eryt hrocyte velocity and office SBP and office DBP was less significant. C apillary length was related to 24-h ambulatory DBP but not to office D BP. Capillary number was not related to any blood pressure parameter. Conclusions: These results indicate that, in patients with mild-to-mod erate essential hypertension, erythrocyte velocity is significantly lo wer than for matched controls. It is also inversely related to mean 24 -h ambulatory SBP and 24-h ambulatory DBP.