Abstract
Our pilot studies (PS) show that pulse pressure (PP) response to isometric handgrip (IH) provides significant additional information in the prediction of cardiovascular (CV) disease. The combination of the PP and the rise in pulse pressure (RPP) during IH enabled the prediction of high systemic vascular resistance (SVR), low cardiac output (CO), degree of BP control, aortic collagen, and coronary artery (CA) risk. Prospective studies (ProS) were done using a random sample of the general population, ages 50-65, 1/1 male/female, all Caucasian, compared to normal controls (C) (matched by age/sex and race). BP was recorded (left arm) at rest and with IH (right hand at 5 psi for 3 minutes) recording RPP. Measurements were made of systolic blood pressure (SBP), PP, RPP, systolic time intervals (STI), systemic vascular resistance (SVR in standard units), and CO and aortic collagen (AC) by transthoracic 2D echocardiography. PP and RPP were used to predict right coronary artery stenosis (RS), left anterior discending stenosis (LS), and circumflex stenosis (CS) by previous PS predicted-found formula vs angiogram (r = .96, p < .001). All measurements were done by methods previously reported by our clinic. STI is a measure of adrenergic neurovascular tone (STI = PEP/LVET × 100%) that increases RPP and SVR, decreasing the central blood volume (CBV) at STI < 30. Exclusions from the study were smokers, diabetics, and LDL > 125. Group (G) 3 was treated (3Rx) with tenormin 12.5-100 mg/day for 10 years with IH measured every 3 months and all other serial measurements made annually. All data were placed into a blind matrix for analysis later. Data were grouped using PP and RPP PS criteria.
Results Group means are shown. X = Not measurable due to high SVR.