Seasonal variation of 1.4 mm Hg tied to nearly 5 percent variation in blood pressure control
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) — There is a seasonal effect on systolic blood pressure (SBP), according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Hypertension 2023 Scientific Sessions, held from Sept. 7 to 10 in Boston.
Robert B. Barrett, from the American Medical Association in Greenville, South Carolina, and colleagues assessed the influence of seasonal effects on average SBP. The analysis included 60,676 patients treated at one of six diverse health care organizations engaged in a quality improvement program.
The researchers found that SBP during winter months averaged 0.47 mm Hg higher than the yearly mean, which was associated with a significantly lower odds ratio for BP control (odds ratio, 0.92). In contrast, during the summer, average SBP was 0.92 mm Hg lower, with a higher likelihood of BP control (odds ratio, 1.10).
“Despite the smaller degree of systolic blood pressure variation in comparison to previous studies on seasonality in blood pressure, we were surprised to observe a large degree of change in blood pressure control between winter and summer months,” Barrett said in a statement. “Individuals with hypertension or values near the range of hypertension may benefit from periodic blood pressure monitoring and improvements in physical activity and nutritional patterns during winter months to offset adverse effects from seasonal blood pressure changes.”
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