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Abstract Background Low diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), limitations in coronary blood flow and immune activity are implicated mechanisms, but evidence is lacking. We investigated the association between DBP, biomarkers of myocardial injury, inflammation, immune activation and incident events in patients with CAD. Methods We studied 2448 adults (mean age 65 ± 12 years, 68% male, median follow-up 4.5 years) with CAD. DBP was categorized into 10 mm Hg increments. Biomarkers of myocardial injury (high sensitivity cardiac troponin-I [hs-cTnI]) and immune activity/inflammation (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor [suPAR]) were dichotomized at their median values. DBP 70–79 mm Hg was used as the referent group, and individuals were followed prospectively for adverse outcomes. Results After adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates, individuals with DBP < 60 mm Hg had increased odds of elevated levels of hs-cTnI (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.07, 2.65) and suPAR (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.10, 2.65) compared to the referent group. Additionally, DBP < 60 mm Hg was associated with increased adjusted risk of cardiovascular death or MI (HR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.32, 3.16) and all-cause mortality (HR = 2.41; 95% CI = 1.69, 3.45). Conclusion In patients with CAD, DBP < 60 mm Hg is associated with subclinical myocardial injury, immune/inflammatory dysregulation and incident events. Aggressive BP control may be harmful in these patients, and further investigation is warranted to determine appropriate BP targets in patients with CAD. Highlights • Low DBP is associated with adverse outcomes in patient with coronary artery disease. • Biomarkers of myocardial injury and immune activation are associated with both low DBP and risk of events. • Associations between DBP, biomarkers and events are not modified by SBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreases in systolic blood pressure during exercise may predispose to arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AF) because of underlying abnormal autonomic tone. We examined the association between systolic blood pressure response and incident AF in 57,442 (mean age 54 ± 13 years, 47% women, and 29% black) patients free of baseline AF who underwent exercise treadmill stress testing from the Henry Ford ExercIse Testing project. Exercise systolic blood pressure response was examined as a categorical variable across clinically relevant categories (>20 mm Hg: referent; 1 to 20 mm Hg, and ≤0 mm Hg) and per 1-SD decrease. Cox regression, adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, medications, history of coronary heart disease, history of heart failure, and metabolic equivalent of task achieved, was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between systolic blood pressure response and incident AF. Over a median follow-up of 5.0 years, a total of 3,381 cases (5.9%) of AF were identified. An increased risk of AF was observed with decreasing systolic blood pressure response (>20 mm Hg: HR 1.0, referent; 1 to 20 mm Hg: HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.99, 1.20; ≤0 mm Hg: HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.40). Similar results were obtained per 1-SD decrease in systolic blood pressure response (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.12). The results were consistent when stratified by age, sex, race, hypertension, and coronary heart disease. In conclusion, our results suggest that a decreased systolic blood pressure response during exercise may identify subjects who are at risk for developing AF., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)