Non-dipping circadian blood pressure patterns are associated with impaired cardiac autonomic functions, including abnormal parasympathetic and sympathetic activities.
This review highlights the potential role of autonomic nervous system impairment in the non-dipping blood pressure phenomenon, which is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
Arterial blood pressure fluctuates with a pattern that follows a circadian rhythm, with a peak in the early morning hours and a trough during nighttime. Nocturnal dipping of arterial blood pressure is part of this normal circadian pattern, and its absence, which is called non-dipping is associated with more severe end-organ damage and increased risk of cardiovascular events, especially in hypertensive patients. Although pathologic mechanisms are still unclear, it has been suggested that non-dippers show impairment in the autonomic system functions that include abnormal parasympathetic and sympathetic activities. Several studies have examined the role of the autonomic nervous system in the non-dipping phenomenon. In this paper, we aimed to review the studies evaluating the relationship between circadian arterial blood pressure pattern and indices of cardiac autonomic functions.
Okutucu et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Hypertension. Non-dipping blood pressure pattern vs. Dipping blood pressure pattern was evaluated on Cardiac autonomic functions. Non-dipping circadian blood pressure patterns are associated with impaired cardiac autonomic functions, including abnormal parasympathetic and sympathetic activities.