CORRELATION BETWEEN INTERARM SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DIFFERENCE AND CAROTID INTIMA MEDIA THICKNESS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND STROKE

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have now become the leading cause of mortality in India. One of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease that can be controlled (modifiable) is hypertension. Hypertension increases atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease incidence risk to 2–3-fold. The goal of this study is to study the correlation between Interarm systolic BP difference (IASBPD) and Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. By doing this study we can recommend IASBPD as an effective tool to find out hypertensive patients at risk of cardiovascular disease much earlier and can reduce the mortality due to cardiovascular diseases. :(i)To record the IASBPD in hypertensiv AIM AND OBJECTIVES e patients with coronary artery disease and stroke. (ii)To measure CIMT in above patients by Carotid Doppler ultrasound. (iii)To find out the correlation between IASBPD and CIMT in above group. (iv)To recommend the recording of IASBPD in hypertensive patients as a routine for identification of patients at risk of cardiovascular diseases at an early stage. About 100 hypertensive patients,b MATERIALS AND METHODS: oth males and females in the age group of 45 to 70 years with coronary artery disease and stroke were selected for the study. BP was recorded in both the arms simultaneously for 3 times at an interval of 2 minutes in the sitting position by using automated blood pressure measuring device (OMRON). The average systolic BP for right arm and left arm was calculated. The Absolute inter arm systolic BP difference (IASBPD) was calculated by using this formula (IASBPD)=|average right arm systolic BP - average left arm systolic BP|. Carotid intima media thickness was measured in above patients by sonologist by using Doppler USG Philips. RESULT:Correlation between interarm systolic BP difference and carotid intima media thickness was analysed by using Pearson correlation coefficient test. By means of SPSS software version 21, analysis of statistics was performed. The statistical significance was drawn at 'p' value < 0.05. In this study t CONCLUSION: here was a statistically significant positive correlation between IASBPD and CIMT( r = 0.88 ,P< .05) As recording of inter-arm systolic BP difference is a simple, economical and effective tool, it can be used to screen hypertensive patients at risk of cardiovascular disease at the primary health care system itself.