Brain natriuretic peptide, systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

BACKGROUND Hypertension is an increasingly important medical and public health issue. Because of life time risk of hypertension Joint National Committee-7 introduced a new term "Pre-hypertension" for those with systolic blood pressure 120-139 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 80-89 mmHg. Individuals prone to the development of hypertension often have a hyperdynamic circulation antedating the onset of hypertension by several years. Brain Natriuretic Peptide is a new promising cardiovascular risk marker due to its association with high blood pressure via its key role in salt and water homeostasis and hence blood pressure. This study was designed to find out the levels of plasma Brain Natriuretic Peptide in normotensive, pre-hypertensive and newly diagnosed hypertensive and to observe its association with increasing values of blood pressure. METHODS This was an cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Physiology Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi. Study included 85 adult males, aged between 20-60 years, non- smokers, non- diabetic and having no other chronic illness. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure values were measured and divided into three groups on the basis of normotensive to hypertensive as stated by Joint National Committee -7. Brain Natriuretic Peptide was assayed by AxSym technology. RESULTS Brain Natriuretic Peptide developed a positive and statistically significant correlation with both systolic and diastolic blood pressures and was also found out to be significantly raised in pre-hypertensive group. CONCLUSIONS his study concluded that Brain Natriuretic Peptide is positively related with increasing values of both variables i.e. systolic as well as diastolic blood pressures. It also concluded out Brain Natriuretic Peptide to be significantly elevated in pre-hypertensive stage which may remain increased in sustained hypertension.