Objectively-Measured Activity Patterns are Associated with Home Blood Pressure in Memory Clinic Patients

Background:

Physicians are cautious to prescribe antihypertensive drugs in frail older adults because of the potential adverse effects, especially in those with cognitive complaints. Lifestyle aspects might provide safe targets to lower blood pressure in older adults.

Objective:

Our goal was to evaluate the associations between activity patterns and blood pressure in memory clinic patients.

Methods:

We used an observational cross-sectional study to measure activity patterns with the ActivPAL accelerometer, and simultaneous home blood pressure levels in memory clinic patients (age range 51–87 years old). Office blood pressure was assessed during routine clinical practice.

Results:

41 patients (mean age of 74.3 (7.7) years of age, 46% female) were included. Sedentary parameters were associated with higher mean home blood pressure, with the strongest correlation between more prolonged sitting bouts and higher SBP (r = 0.58, p < .0001). Physical activity parameters were negatively associated with mean home blood pressure. Adjusted regression estimates remained significant, showing, e.g., a 4.5 (95% CI = 1.6;7.4) mmHg increase in SBP for every hour of sitting per day and a –1.0 (95% CI = –1.8;–0.2) mmHg decrease in DBP for every additional 1000 steps per day. No strong correlations were found between any of the activity pattern variables and office blood pressure.

Conclusion:

Associations between activity pattern variables and blood pressure were only found with home blood pressure measurements, not with office measurements. Longitudinal evaluations of these associations are now needed to explore if reducing prolonged sedentary bouts and increasing step count indeed serve as safe targets to lower blood pressure.