Blood pressure increase between 55 and 68 years of age is inversely related to lung function: longitudinal results from the cohort study 'Men born in1914'

Background Although age is associated with increasing blood pressure, there is a substantial heterogeneity within a certain birth cohort. Whether incr ease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure is related to pulmonary funct ion is largely unknown. Objective To study blood pressure elevation between 55 and 68 years of age in relation to vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV1.0) at 55. Design Population-based cohort study. Participants A total of 375 men without antihypertensive medication at base line. Main outcome measure Change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) over 13 years. Results Blood pressure increase between 55 and 68 years was highest among m en who at 55 years had low vital capacity. Average increase in systolic blo od pressure for men with vital capacity in the first, second, third and fou rth quartile was 20.4, 18.7, 16.5 and 11.1 mmHg, respectively (P for trend = 0.005). Average increase in diastolic blood pressure was 10.6, 9.9, 9.0 a nd 6.3 mmHg, respectively (P = 0.02). The trends remained statistically sig nificant after adjustments for baseline blood pressure, tobacco consumption , smoking cessation between 55 and 68, weight change between 55 and 68, phy sical activity and diabetes. Further analysis showed that the relationships could be found among men with blood pressures less than or equal to 140/90 mmHg at baseline, whereas no significant association was found for men who se baseline SEP or DBP exceeded 140/90 mmHg. FEV1.0 showed similar associat ions with change in blood pressure. Conclusion Lung function is inversely associated with future blood pressure increase. It is suggested that this association could contribute to the re lationships between lung function and incidence of cardiovascular disease. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.