OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristics of distribution of pulse pressure (PP) in Chinese population and its relationship to major cardiovascular diseases in them.

METHODSData from the Third National Blood Pressure Survey involved 882,681 subjects aged over 18 in 1991 were reanalysed for the relationship between PP and risks of major cardiovascular diseases, with t-test, chi2 test and logistic regression model. PP is defined as the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

RESULTS(1) Overall mean PP was (44.61 +/- 13.59) mm Hg for the subjects aged over 18, higher in men [(44.92 +/- 12.72) mmHg] than that in women [(44.34 +/- 14.32) mmHg]. PP increased progressively with age, and its increase accelerated significantly at age over 50 but higher in women than in men. Proportion of the subjects with PP equal to or greater than 60 mmHg was more in those aged 60 or over than that in younger ones. (2) Prevalence of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) increased with PP and age, whether in the normotensives, or in the hypertensives or in the isolated systolic hypertensives. (3) Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that risks of stroke in the subjects with PP of (45-59) mmHg, (60-74) mmHg and over 75 mmHg were 1.9, 3.5 and 5 times as in those with PP less than 45 mm Hg, respectively, adjusted for other risk factors, and their risks of myocardial infarction (MI) were 1.2, 1.5 and 1.7 times, respectively. Furthermore, PP was significantly and independently related to the risks of stroke and MI, even adjusted for systolic and diastolic pressures.

CONCLUSIONSPrevalence of stroke and MI increased with the breadth of PP and age. Broader PP may be an important and independent predictor of risks of stroke and MI, especially in the aged people.