Heart Failure Linked to Orthostatic Hypotension

Orthostatic hypotension predicts incident heart failure among middle-aged adults, especially those aged 45-55 years old, researchers reported online ahead of print in Hypertension.

In a study of 12,363 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, orthostatic hypotension—defined as a decrease of 20 mm Hg in systolic pressure or a decrease of 10 mm Hg in diastolic pressure—was associated with a 54% increased risk of incident heart failure after a follow-up of 17.5 years. The risk was increased by 90% among participants aged 55 years or younger and by 37% among those younger than 55.

“Orthostatic measures may enhance risk stratification for future heart development,” Christine D. Jones, MD, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and colleagues concluded.