María C Bouzas-Mosquera1, Alberto Bouzas-Mosquera2, Jesús Peteiro3. 1. Faculty of Health Sciences, European University, Madrid, Spain. 2. Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain. alberto.bouzas.mosquera@sergas.es. 3. Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The association of an excessive blood pressure increase with exercise (EBPIE) on cardiovascular outcomes remains controversial. We sought to assess its impact on the risk of all-cause mortality and major cardiac events in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) referred for stress testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Exercise echocardiography was performed in 10 047 patients with known or suspected CAD. An EBPIE was defined as an increase in systolic blood pressure with exercise ≥ 80 mmHg. The endpoints were all-cause mortality and major cardiac events (MACE), including cardiac death or nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI). RESULTS: Overall, 573 patients exhibited an EBPIE during the tests. Over a mean follow-up of 4·8 years, there were 1950 deaths (including 725 cardiac deaths), 1477 MI and 1900 MACE. The cumulative 10-year rates of all-cause mortality, cardiac death, nonfatal MI and MACE were 32·9%, 13·1%, 26·9% and 33% in patients who did not develop an EBPIE vs. 18·9%, 4·7%, 17·5% and 20·7% in those experiencing an EBPIE, respectively (P < 0·001 for all comparisons). In Cox regression analyses, an EBPIE remained predictive of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0·73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0·59-0·91, P = 0·004), cardiac death (HR 0·67, 95% CI 0·46-0·98, P = 0·04), MI (HR 0·67, 95% CI 0·52-0·86, P = 0·002) and MACE (HR 0·69, 95% CI 0·56-0·86, P = 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: An EBPIE was associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality and MACE in patients with known or suspected CAD referred for stress testing.
BACKGROUND: The association of an excessive blood pressure increase with exercise (EBPIE) on cardiovascular outcomes remains controversial. We sought to assess its impact on the risk of all-cause mortality and major cardiac events in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) referred for stress testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Exercise echocardiography was performed in 10 047 patients with known or suspected CAD. An EBPIE was defined as an increase in systolic blood pressure with exercise ≥ 80 mmHg. The endpoints were all-cause mortality and major cardiac events (MACE), including cardiac death or nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI). RESULTS: Overall, 573 patients exhibited an EBPIE during the tests. Over a mean follow-up of 4·8 years, there were 1950 deaths (including 725 cardiac deaths), 1477 MI and 1900 MACE. The cumulative 10-year rates of all-cause mortality, cardiac death, nonfatal MI and MACE were 32·9%, 13·1%, 26·9% and 33% in patients who did not develop an EBPIE vs. 18·9%, 4·7%, 17·5% and 20·7% in those experiencing an EBPIE, respectively (P < 0·001 for all comparisons). In Cox regression analyses, an EBPIE remained predictive of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0·73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0·59-0·91, P = 0·004), cardiac death (HR 0·67, 95% CI 0·46-0·98, P = 0·04), MI (HR 0·67, 95% CI 0·52-0·86, P = 0·002) and MACE (HR 0·69, 95% CI 0·56-0·86, P = 0·001). CONCLUSIONS: An EBPIE was associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality and MACE in patients with known or suspected CAD referred for stress testing.