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(Hypertension. 2006;48:1143.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Articles

Abnormal Pressure Passive Dilatation of Cerebral Arterioles in the Elderly With Isolated Systolic Hypertension

Sergio Castellani; Marzia Bacci; Andrea Ungar; Patrizio Prati; Claudia Di Serio; Pierangelo Geppetti; Giulio Masotti; Gian Gastone Neri Serneri; Gian Franco Gensini

From the Institute of Internal Medicine and Cardiology (S.C., M.B., G.G.N.S., G.F.G.), Unit of Geriatric Medicine (A.U., C.D.S., P.G., G.M.), Department of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, University of Florence, and Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy; and the Neurology Department (P.P.), Gervasutta Hospital, Udine, Italy.

Correspondence to Sergio Castellani, Unità Funzionale di Angiologia Clinica e Sperimentale, Viale Morgagni 85 Firenze, Italy. E-mail sergio.castellani{at}unifi.it

The aim of this study was to investigate the cerebrovascular adaptability to 2 sequential pressor stimuli in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension. Ten healthy elderly normotensive subjects (68 to 82 years), 10 elderly subjects with isolated systolic hypertension (63 to 82 years), and 10 young normotensive subjects (24 to 40 years) took part in the study. A pressor reaction, using sequential cold pressor and handgrip stimulation, was induced. The cerebrovascular response to the pressor stimulation was measured by transcranial Doppler determination of the mean flow velocity in the middle cerebral arteries. In all of the subjects, blood pressure increased during handgrip (+12 mm Hg, P<0.001 in the young; +18 mm Hg, P<0.01 in the elderly normotensive subjects; +19 mm Hg, P<0.001 in the hypertensive patients versus baseline). In the hypertensive subjects, the pressure increase persisted well into the recovery period. The pressure increase caused a significant increase in mean flow velocity in the middle cerebral arteries only in the elderly subjects. Cold pressor test increased blood pressure in all of the subjects during stimulation and the first 2 minutes of the recovery period (at whole-curve ANOVA: F=22.03, P<0.001 in the young participants; F=18.3, P<0.001 in the normotensive elderly; and F=13.04, P<0.001 in the hypertensive elderly). Mean flow velocity in the middle cerebral arteries significantly increased only in the hypertensive subjects. In the elderly hypertensive patients, the cerebrovascular reaction to adrenergic stimuli was more impaired than in the elderly normotensive subjects. This event can amplify the pressure insult on cerebral hemodynamics and increase the predisposition to cerebral damage, such as vascular cognitive impairment or stroke.

Key Words: cerebrovascular adaptability • adrenergic stimulation • isolated systolic hypertension