Seasonal blood pressure changes in mild hypertension

BACKGROUND: Our goal was to evaluate seasonal blood pressure (BP) changes in patients with mild hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Forty-three hypertensive subjects underwent two clinical examinations in different seasons (summer and winter), separated by a 6 month-interval. Each examination included a 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring. RESULTS: Ambulatory diurnal BP was higher in winter that it was in summer (p < 0.01). Seasonal changes were inversely correlated to the body mass index (r = -0.44; p < 0.05, for systolic BP). CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory diurnal BP is subjected to seasonal influences. Seasonal variations of BP habe implications for the clinical management of hypertension.