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New method of measuring arterial stiffness in elderly hypertensives

by Medindia Content Team on Feb 28 2003 11:20 AM

Researchers have now discovered a new method by which arterial stiffness in elderly hypertensive patients can be evaluated, using the "arterial stiffness index", which is measured by computerized oscillometry at the upper arm.

The researchers from the Osaka University Medical School in Japan studied 42 patients, 26 of whom were over 60 years of age. They evaluated arterial stiffness index and compared it with other methods of evaluating arterial stiffness in patients with essential hypertension. The researchers found that arterial stiffness index was positively correlated with pulse-wave velocity between the carotid-femoral artery, the heart-carotid artery and right brachial-tibial artery. In elderly patients, arterial stiffness index was also correlated with carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. They concluded that the index would therefore be a convenient way of measuring pulse-wave velocity and considered it suitable for measuring arterial stiffness in elderly patients.


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