ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND ITS DETERMINANTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITH NORMAL AND INCREASED PULSE WAVE VELOCITY IN HYPERTENSIVE ADULTS

Objective: To analyze the main clinical, metabolic, and lifestyle determinants associated with arterial stiffness in hypertensive individuals by comparing groups with normal and increased Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV). Design and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with hypertensive adults aged 18 to 59 years attending a referral center for hypertension treatment. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee under Opinion No. 6.035.042. The sample size was calculated considering 30% increased PWV and a 10% error, estimating 81 individuals. PWV was defined as the dependent variable and considered increased when above the 75th percentile. Analysis was performed using Stata software, applying parametric tests to compare means and chi-square/Fisher’s tests for categorical variables, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The study identified that 20 participants (22.2%) had increased PWV. Participants with increased PWV had significantly higher peripheral blood pressure values (p < 0.001), both systolic (SBP) (144.8 mmHg; ±18.8) and diastolic (DBP) (94.4 mmHg; ±20.2), compared to the normal PWV group (SBP 119.4 mmHg; ±10.6 and DBP 79.6 mmHg; ±10.6). Central blood pressure values were also higher for increased PWV (SBP 135.9 mmHg; ±18.5 and DBP 99.6 mmHg; ±14.2) compared to normal PWV (SBP 111.7 mmHg; ±10.3 and DBP 80.8 mmHg; ±10.6). Pulse pressure (PP) was higher among those with increased PWV (51.0 mmHg; ±19.4) than in those with normal PWV (40.1 mmHg; ±12.5).Conclusions: As PWN increased, peripheral and central SBP and DBP values were higher, as well as pulse pressure. This correlation demonstrates an association of those parameters with increase arterial stiffness. The differences found between the normal and increased PWV groups highlight the importance of strict blood pressure control to preserve arterial function and reduce cardiovascular risk. The findings reinforce the importance of using PWV as a non-invasive marker of arterial stiffness and suggest the need for preventive and blood pressure control strategies to improve vascular health in hypertensive populations.