BLOOD PRESSURE COMPONENTS AS PREDICTORS OF STROKE MORTALITY IN WEST SCOTLAND

The relative importance of systolic (SBP) versus diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and other combinations of SBP and DBP in the prediction of stroke have been re-examined in a long term cohort study of 10,541 men and women aged 45-64 in West Scotland. During a mean follow-up of 11.6 years 1, 616 deaths occurred, among which 160 (9.9% 80 male, 80 female) were due to stroke. 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 stroke 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 stroke mortality in females the risk of stroke mortality was more strongly associated with DBP in males SSP and DBP have the same predictive influence on stroke mortality and the MAP and MAl have stronger associations with it than either SBP and DBP. PP is associated with the least excess risk in both genders.