A spontaneous decrease of blood pressure occurs in acute ischemic stroke with favourable neurological course

Importance of blood pressure monitoring in the acute phase of stroke. An update

INTRODUCTION

The evaluation of blood pressure (BP) is essential in the acute phase of stroke. Although ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a validated method for BP control, there are few studies assessing the usefulness of ABPM in the acute phase of stroke.

DEVELOPMENT

A systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA criteria in the PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases. Those articles that analysed the use of ABPM in the first days after suffering a stroke from 1992 to 2022 were selected. Those articles focused on the post-acute or sequelae phase of the stroke, with a sample size of less than 20 and those where the primary objective was different from the defined one. A total of 28 articles were included.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of ABPM in patients with recent stroke demonstrates that the normal circadian profile of BP is altered in more than two-thirds of patients and that this will be fundamentally conditioned by the haemodynamic changes that occur on autoregulation of cerebral blood flow, the type of stroke or the response to treatment. Furthermore, these changes in BP have prognostic implications and are correlated with functional status, stroke recurrence and mortality, among others. However, although they continue to be a growing area of research, new studies are needed to clarify the real role of this technique in patients with acute stroke.

Optimal blood pressure levels in different phases of peripheral thrombolysis period in acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

Dramatic changes of blood pressure (BP) were observed in the peripheral thrombolysis period, however, there is no consensus about BP control targets in the different phases.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied a consecutive sample of 510 patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis and followed-up for 3 months. The peripheral thrombolysis period was divided into these phases: Phase 1 (from onset to thrombolysis), Phase 2 (thrombolysis), Phase 3 (from thrombolysis to 24 h after thrombolysis), and Phase 4 (from 24 h to 7 days after thrombolysis). Patients were divided into quintiles according to mean blood pressure in these phases, respectively. Neurological improvement was evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale score at 3-month after thrombolysis.

RESULTS

Lower risk of intracerebral hemorrhage within 7 days was found in lower quintiles of SBP (OR = 0.100, 95% CI 0.011-0.887, P = 0.039 in Phase 1 quintile Q1, OR = 0.110, 95% CI 0.012-0.974, P = 0.047 in Phase 2-3 quintile Q1, and OR, 0.175, 95% CI, 0.035-0.872; P = 0.033 in Phase 4 quintile Q2, respectively). Better neurological improvement was found in SBP quintiles: Q2-Q4 (127.3-155.7 mmHg) in Phase 4 (OR = 3.095, 95% CI 1.524-6.286, P = 0.002 for Q2; OR = 2.697, 95% CI 1.354-5.370, P = 0.005 for Q3; and OR = 2.491, 95% CI 1.263-4.913, P = 0.008 for Q4, respectively). Our results also showed higher average real variability of SBP was negatively associated with better neurological outcome in Phase 1 and Phase 2-3.

CONCLUSIONS

Maintaining SBP levels (≤148 mmHg) from admission to the first 24 h after thrombolysis, then keeping SBP levels (127-138 mmHg) would be beneficial.

Change in Systolic Blood Pressure During Stroke, Functional Status, and Long-Term Mortality in an Elderly Population

BACKGROUND

Elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) recorded by 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (24H BPM) on the first day of acute stroke is associated in elderly patients, with an unfavorable outcome. Herein, we assessed, by 24H BPM, the impact of the change in SBP levels during the first week of stroke on short-term functional status and long-term mortality in elderly patients.

METHODS

One hundred and fifty acute stroke patients (69 males), mean age at admission 83.6±5.5 years, 82% with ischemic stroke, were investigated. 24H BPM was recorded within 24 hours of admission and 1 week later. After 7 days, patients were assessed for functional status according to the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and were subsequently followed for mortality up to 7.5 years (mean 3.16±2.29).

RESULTS

After 7 days, SBP decreased from 147±21 to 140±20 mm Hg (P < 0.001). Functional status improved and mRS decreased from 4.2 to 3.7. During follow-up, 58 patients (17 males and 41 females) had died. Mortality rate was higher in females (69% vs. 45%; P < 0.01) and in patients with a history of congestive heart failure. The average admission SBP predicted short-term functional status and long-term mortality. However, the change in SBP corrected for admission levels, gender, age and other variables was not associated with short-term functional status and long-term mortality.

CONCLUSION

There is no evidence of association between change in SBP during the first week of stroke and short-term functional status and long-term mortality in this group of stroke patients.

Elevated diastolic but not systolic blood pressure increases mortality risk in hypertensive but not normotensive patients with acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

The relationship between blood pressure (BP) at admission for acute ischemic stroke and outcome is controversial. We aimed to assess whether only systolic BP (SBP), only diastolic BP (DBP), both or neither predict outcome and whether these associations differ between patients with and without a history of hypertension.

METHODS

We prospectively studied all patients who were admitted with acute ischemic stroke (n = 415; 39.5% males, age 78.8 ± 6.6 years). The severity of stroke was assessed at admission with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The outcome was evaluated with dependency at discharge (modified Rankin scale between 2 and 5) and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

In the total study population, independent predictors of dependency at discharge were age, history of prior ischemic stroke, and NIHSS score at admission. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were DBP at admission and NIHSS score at admission. In patients with a history of hypertension (n = 343), independent predictors of dependency at discharge were age and NIHSS score at admission whereas independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were DBP at admission and NIHSS score at admission. In patients without a history of hypertension (n = 72), the only independent predictor of dependency at discharge and in-hospital mortality was the NIHSS score at admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher DBP at admission predict in-hospital mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke whereas SBP in the acute phase is not associated with short-term outcome. The relationship between DBP at admission and outcome appears to be more prominent in hypertensive patients.