Carotid intima-media thickness in post-coarctectomy patients with exercise induced hypertension

摘要

The significance of exercise blood pressure in post-coarctectomy patients and its relation to clinical outcome and organ damage is still unknown. Several authors have suggested that patients with exercise induced hypertension might be amenable to antihypertensive medication or limitation of strenuous physical activity. However, recently Swan and colleagues discouraged the use of exercise testing for the assessment of blood pressure profiles in these patients. Intima-media thickness (IMT) is nowadays considered a validated and reproducible end point for atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between exercise induced hypertension and carotid IMT in adult post-coarctectomy patients.