Sleep blood pressure measured using a home blood pressure monitor was independently associated with cardiovascular disease incidence: the Nagahama study.

Background: Nocturnal blood pressure (BP) is associated with cardiovascular disease independently of awake BP. However, nocturnal BP measured using an ambulatory monitoring device has limited reproducibility because it is a single-day measurement. We investigated the association between sleep BP measured on multiple days using a timer-equipped home BP monitor and cardiovascular diseases in a general population.

Methods: The study population comprised 5814 community residents. Participants were required to sleep with wrapping cuffs on their upper arm and BP was measured automatically at 0 : 00, 2 : 00, and 4 : 00. Actigraph was used to determine BP measured during sleep. Participants were also measured home morning and evening BP manually using the same device.

Results: During the 7.3-year mean follow-up period, we observed 117 cases of cardiovascular diseases. The association between sleep BP (per 10 mmHg hazard ratio = 1.31, P  < 0.001) and cardiovascular events remained significant (hazard ratio = 1.22, P  = 0.036) even after adjusting for office BP and confounding factors, such as sleep-disordered breathing. Individuals with sleep-only hypertension ( n  = 1047; hazard ratio = 2.23, P  = 0.005) had a significant cardiovascular risk. Daytime-only hypertension ( n  = 264; hazard ratio = 3.57, P  = 0.001) and combined sleep and daytime hypertension ( n  = 1216; hazard ratio = 3.69, P  < 0.001) was associated with cardiovascular events to the same extent. Sleep BP dipping was not identified as a significant determinant of cardiovascular events.

Conclusion: Sleep BP measured using a home BP monitor was independently associated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease in a general population.