BACKGROUND: Our goal was to evaluate seasonal blood pressure (BP) changes i
n patients with mild hypertension.
PATIENTS AND METHOD: Forty-three hypertensive subjects underwent two clinic
al examinations in different seasons (summer and winter), separated by a 6
month-interval. Each examination included a 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring.
RESULTS: Ambulatory diurnal BP was higher in winter that it was in summer (
p < 0.01). Seasonal changes were inversely correlated to the body mass inde
x (r = -0.44; p < 0.05, for systolic BP).
CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory diurnal BP is subjected to seasonal influences. Sea
sonal variations of BP habe implications for the clinical management of hyp
ertension.