BLOOD PRESSURE COMPONENTS AS PREDICTORS OF ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE MORTALITY IN THE WEST OF SCOTLAND

The relative importance of systolic blood pressure (SBP) versus diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in predicting the risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality is controversial. We have re-examined SBP compared to D BP and other combinations of SBP and D BP in predicting the risk of IHD mortality in a long-term cohort study oflO,541 men and women in the West of Scotland. During a mean follow-up of 11.6 years, 1,616 deaths occurred, among which 553 (34% 327 male, 181 female) were caused by IHD. In a multiple logistic regression (MLR) model the predictive values of SBP, DBP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), mean arterial index (MAl), and pulse pressure (PP) were examined in relation to IHD mortality after adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI), casual blood glucose, serum cholesterol and cigarette smoking at entry. All blood pressure measures were associated with IHD mortality in females the risk of IHD deaths was more strongly associated with SBP in males SBP and DBP had similar predictive strength.