BACKGROUND: An effective approach to lifestyle-related factors could be a main treatment for hypertensives. The components of blood pressure (BP) have been reported to have different clinical implications; however, the relationship between various lifestyle-related factors and BP components has not been thoroughly studied in hospital-based general medicine.
METHODS: This relationship was cross-sectionally investigated in a population of outpatients with hypertension but free of other diseases (136 subjects, aged 30 to 75, mean 54.2 years) . A self-administered questionnaire, which included items related to demographics, smoking, alcohol use, affinity for salt, habitual exercise, and sleep status, was used.
RESULTS: After controlling for lifestyle-related factors, multiple regression analysis revealed that body mass index (BMI) and smoking were significantly and positively correlated with systolic BP (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP) . For diastolic BP (DBP), age had a significantly negative, and lack of sleep had a significantly positive, correlation. BMI was also significantly and positively correlated with mean BP (MBP) .
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that lifestyle-related factors are associated with differing BP components. Weight control should receive more attention in SBP, MBP and PP control, anti-smoking in SBP and PP control, and sleep management in DBP control.

Finger systolic blood pressure (FSBP) measurement during finger cooling is a feasible method for the diagnosis of vibration-induced white finger (VWF). The standardization of the FSBP test is required. The final draft of an international standard for the measurement and evaluation of FSBP (ISO/DIS 14835-2) has been proposed in 2004. The aim of this review is to overview factors influencing the FSBP test and discuss some issues in the final draft. The FSBP test is a method of diagnosing VWF with reasonable sensitivity and specificity, although the sensitivity was relatively low in studies of mild VWF. The test results depend on cold provocation procedures including finger cooling, body cooling, room temperature and other factors such clothing and smoking. There are some versions of procedures for cold provocation and the tested fingers in the final draft. These may cause a low sensitivity of the FSBP test. To determine how the methodological difference influence the results of the FSBP test, further studies are needed. Although there are issues in the draft, the international standard of the FSBP test is extremely useful for the diagnosis, treatment and compensation of VWF.