The effect of frailty on the 24-hour blood pressure pattern in the very elderly

Frailty plays a crucial role in the management of hypertension in the very elderly and has a strong association with cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, its influence on the 24-hour blood pressure pattern, including elevated asleep systolic blood pressure (BP) and the lack of BP fall during sleep (non-dipping) has not been explored in a population above 80 years. Patients older than 80 years were classified into frail or robust subtypes by the five item frailty phenotype criteria. All participants were submitted to office blood pressure measurements and ambulatory BP monitoring over a 24-hour period. Nocturnal dipping was defined as nighttime BP fall >= 10%. Thirty-eight frail and 36 non-frail individuals (mean age 85.3 +/- 3.7 years; 67% females) were analyzed. Awake systolic and diastolic BP were similar for frail and robust individuals. Frail patients had higher systolic BP during sleep (128 +/- 15 mm Hg vs. 122 +/- 13 mm Hg p = .04) and reduced systolic BP fall [1 (-4.5 - 5)% vs. 6.8 (2.1 - 12.8)% p < .01]. Frailty was independently associated with higher risk of non-dipping (OR 12.4; CI 1.79 - 85.9) and reduced nighttime systolic BP fall (-6.1%; CI -9.6 - -2.6%). In conclusions, frailty has a substantial influence on nighttime BP values and pattern in patients older than 80 years.