Central hemodynamics in risk assessment strategies: Additive value over and above brachial blood pressure

Current Pharmaceutical Design

Volumn 21, Issue 6, 2015, Pages 719-729

  Yannoutsos, Alexandra ^a   Rinaldi, Elisa R ^a,d   Zhang, Yi ^b   Protogerou, Athanassios D ^c   Safar, Michel E ^a   Blacher, Jacques ^a  

^a HÔTEL DIEU   (France)

^b TONGJI UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (China)

^c UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS MEDICAL SCHOOL   (Greece)

^d UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA   (Italy)

Author keywords

Aortic stiffness; Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular risk prediction; Central pulse pressure; Microcirculatory damage; Wave reflections; 2015 Bentham Science Publishers

Indexed keywords

AGE; ARTERIAL STIFFNESS; ARTICLE; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; BLOOD PRESSURE; BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT; BRACHIAL BLOOD PRESSURE; CARDIOVASCULAR RISK; DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE; GENDER; HEART HEMODYNAMICS; HEART PERFORMANCE; HEMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS; HUMAN; HYPERTENSION; MICROCIRCULATION; PATHOGENESIS; PATHOPHYSIOLOGY; PHENOTYPE; PREDICTIVE VALUE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROGNOSIS; PULSE PRESSURE; RISK ASSESSMENT; SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE; TARGET ORGAN; BRACHIAL ARTERY; HEMODYNAMICS; PHYSIOLOGY;

BLOOD PRESSURE; BRACHIAL ARTERY; HEMODYNAMICS; HUMANS; RISK ASSESSMENT;

EID: 84925869036     PISSN: 13816128     EISSN: 18734286     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2174/1381612820666141023164125     Document Type: Article

References (107)

1. Lewington S, Clarke R, Qizilbash N, et al. Prospective Studies Collaboration. Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality: a meta-analysis of individual data for one million adults in 61 prospective studies. Lancet 2002; 360: 1903-13.
2. Lloyd-Jones DM, Larson MG, Leip EP, et al. Lifetime risk for developing congestive heart failure. The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2002; 106: 3068-72.
3. Staessen JA, Richart T, Birkenhäger WH. Less atherosclerosis and lower blood pressure for a meaningful life perspective with more brain. Hypertension 2007; 49: 389-400.
4. Law MR, Morris JK, Wald NJ. Use of blood pressure lowering drugs in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of 147 randomised trials in the context of expectations from prospective epidemiological studies. BMJ 2009; 338: b1665.
5. Mancia G, Fagard R, Narkiewicz K, et al. 2013 ESH/ESC guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: the Task Force for the Management of Arterial Hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Eur Heart J 2013; 34: 2159-219.
6. Beckett NS, Peters R, Fletcher AE, et al. HYVET Study Group. Treatment of hypertension in patients 80 years of age or older. N Engl J Med 2008; 358: 1887-98.
7. Blacher J, Evans A, Arveiler D, et al. PRIME Study Group. Residual coronary risk in men aged 50-59 years treated for hypertension and hyperlipidaemia in the population: the PRIME study. J Hypertens 2004; 22: 415-23.
8. Nichols WW, O’Rourke MF. McDonald’s Blood Flow in Arteries. Theoretical, Experimental and Clinical Principles. 4th ed. London, UK: Edward Arnold; 2006.
9. Safar ME, Levy BI, Struijker-Boudier H. Current perspectives on arterial stiffness and pulse pressure in hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Circulation 2003; 107: 2864-9.
10. Avolio A, Van Bortel L, Boutouyrie P, et al. The role of pulse pressure amplification in arterial hypertension: experts’ opinion and review of the data. Hypertension 2009; 54: 375-83.
11. Albaladejo P, Copie X, Boutouyrie P, et al. Heart Rate, Arterial Stiffness, and Wave Reflections in Paced Patients. Hypertension 2001; 38: 949-52.
12. Wilkinson IB, Fuchs SA, Jansen IM, et al. Reproducibility of pulse wave velocity and augmentation index measured by pulse wave analysis. J Hypertens 1998; 16: 2079-84.
13. Laurent S, Cockcroft J, Van Bortel L, et al. on behalf of the European Network for Non-invasive Investigation of Large Arteries. Expert consensus document on arterial stiffness: methodological issues and clinical applications. Eur Heart J 2006; 27: 2588-605.
14. McEniery CM, Yasmin, McDonnell B, et al. on Behalf of the Anglo-Cardiff Collaborative Trial Investigators. Central Pressure: Variability and Impact of Cardiovascular Risk Factors. The Anglo-Cardiff Collaborative Trial II. Hypertension 2008; 51: 1476-82.
15. Segers P, Mahieu D, Kips J, et al. for the Asklepios investigators. Amplification of the Pressure Pulse in the Upper Limb in Healthy, Middle-Aged Men and Women. Hypertension 2009; 54: 414-20.
16. Thomas G. Pickering, John E. Hall, et al. Recommendations for Blood Pressure Measurement in Humans and Experimental Animals: Part 1: Blood Pressure Measurement in Humans: A Statement for Professionals From the Subcommittee of Professional and Public Education of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Research. Circulation 2005; 111: 697-716.
17. Van Montfrans GA. Oscillometric blood pressure measurement: progress and problems. Blood Press Monit 2001; 6: 287-90.
18. Zhang Y, Agnoletti D, Safar ME, et al. Effect of Antihypertensive Agents on Blood Pressure Variability. The Natrilix SR Versus Candesartan and Amlodipine in the Reduction of Systolic Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Patients (X-CELLENT) Study. Hypertension 2011; 58: 155-60.
19. Mancia G, Parati G, Castiglioni P, et al. Daily Life Blood Pressure Changes Are Steeper in Hypertensive Than in Normotensive Subjects. Hypertension 2003; 42: 277-82.
20. Pickering TG, Hall JE, Appel LJ, et al. Recommendations for Blood Pressure Measurement in Humans and Experimental Animals: Part 1: Blood Pressure Measurement in Humans: A Statement for Professionals. From the Subcommittee of Professional and Public Education of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Research. Circulation 2005; 111: 697-716.
21. Vrachatis D, Papaioannou TG, Konstantopoulou A, et al. Effect of supine versus sitting position on noninvasive assessment of aortic pressure waveform: a randomized cross-over study. J Hum Hypertens 2014; 28: 236-41.
22. Franklin SS, Gustin W IV, Wong ND, et al. Hemodynamic patterns of age-related changes in blood pressure. The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 1997; 96: 308-15.
23. Safar ME. Pulse pressure, arterial stiffness, and cardiovascular risk. Curr Opin Cardiol 2000; 15: 258-63.
24. Blacher J, Staessen JA, Girerd X, et al. Pulse pressure not mean pressure determines cardiovascular risk in older hypertensive patients. Arch Intern Med 2000; 160: 1085-9.
25. Jankowski P, Bilo G, Kawecka-Jaszcz K. The pulsatile component of blood pressure-its role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Blood Press 2007; 16: 238-45.
26. Kiefer CR, McKenney JB, Trainor JF, et al. Pulse pressure-driven neutral lipid accumulation and correlative proinflammatory markers of accelerated atherogenesis. Atherosclerosis 2005; 183: 17-24.
27. Mitchell GF. Effects of central arterial aging on the structure and function of the peripheral vasculature: implications for end-organ damage. J Appl Physiol 2008; 105: 1652-60.
28. Jankowski P, Kawecka-Jaszcz K, Czarnecka D, et al. on behalf of the Aortic Blood Pressure and Survival Study Group. Pulsatile but Not Steady Component of Blood Pressure Predicts Cardiovascular Events in Coronary Patients. Hypertension 2008; 51: 848-55.
29. Protogerou AD, Safar ME, Iaria P, et al. Diastolic Blood Pressure and Mortality in the Elderly With Cardiovascular Disease. Hypertension 2007; 50: 172-80.
30. Safar ME, London GM, Asmar R, et al. Third Workshop on Structure and Function of Large Arteries: Part I. Recent Advances on Large Arteries in Hypertension. Hypertension 1998; 32: 156-61.
31. Roman MJ, Devereux RB, Kizer JR, et al. Central Pressure More Strongly Relates to Vascular Disease and Outcome Than Does Brachial Pressure: The Strong Heart Study. Hypertension 2007; 50: 197-203.
32. Kario K, Shimada K, Pickering TG. Clinical implication of morning blood pressure surge in hypertension. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2003; 42 Suppl 1: S87-91.
33. Mena LJ, Maestre GE, Hansen TW, et al. International Database on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Relation to Cardiovascular Outcomes (IDACO) Investigators. How many measurements are needed to estimate blood pressure variability without loss of prognostic information? Am J Hypertens 2014; 27: 46-55.
34. Rothwell PM, Howard SC, Dolan E et al. Prognostic significance of visit-to-visit variability, maximal systolic blood pressure, and episodic hypertension. Lancet 2010; 375: 895-905.
35. Schillaci G, Bilo G, Pucci G, et al. Relationship Between Short-Term Blood Pressure Variability and Large-Artery Stiffness in Human Hypertension. Findings From 2 Large Databases. Hypertension 2012; 60: 369-77.
36. Perk J, De Backer G, Gohlke H, et al. European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (version 2012). The Fifth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and Other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice (constituted by representatives of nine societies and by invited experts). Eur Heart J 2012; 33: 1635-701.
37. Wang TJ, Gona P, Larson MG, et al. Multiple biomarkers for the prediction of first major cardiovascular events and death. N Engl J Med 2006; 355: 2631-39.
38. Mitchell GF, DeStefano AL, Larson MG, et al. Heritability and a genome-wide linkage scan for arterial stiffness, wave reflection, and mean arterial pressure: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2005; 112: 194-9.
39. Franklin SS, Larson MG, Khan SA, et al. Does the relation of blood pressure to coronary heart disease risk change with aging? The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2001; 103: 1245-9.
40. Wilkinson IB, Franklin SS, Hall IR, et al. Pressure amplification explains why pulse pressure is unrelated to risk in young subjects. Hypertension 2001; 38: 1461-6.
41. McEniery CM, Yasmin, Wallace S, et al. on behalf of the ENIGMA Study Investigators. Increased Stroke Volume and Aortic Stiffness Contribute to Isolated Systolic Hypertension in Young Adults. Hypertension 2005; 46: 221-6.
42. Vaccarino V, Parsons L, Peterson ED, et al. Sex differences in mortality after acute myocardial infarction: changes from 1994 to 2006. Arch Intern Med 2009; 169: 1767-74.
43. O'Connor CM, Hathaway WR, Bates ER, et al. Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of patients in whom congestive heart failure develops after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: development of a predictive model. Am Heart J 1997; 133: 663-73.
44. Devereux RB, Roman MJ, Liu JE, et al. Congestive heart failure despite normal left ventricular systolic function in a populationbased sample: the Strong Heart Study. Am J Cardiol 2000; 86: 1090-6.
45. Hayward CS, Kelly RP. Gender-related differences in the central arterial pressure waveform. J Am Coll Cardiol 1997; 30: 1863-71.
46. Smulyan H, Asmar RG, Rudnicki A, et al. Comparative effects of aging in men and women on the properties of the arterial tree. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001; 37: 1374-80.
47. Gatzka CD, Kingwell BA, Cameron JD, et al. Gender differences in the timing of arterial wave reflection beyond differences in body height. J Hypertens 2001; 19: 2197-203.
48. Russo C, Jin Z, Palmieri V, et al. Arterial Stiffness and Wave Reflection: Sex Differences and Relationship with Left Ventricular Diastolic Function. Hypertension 2012; 60: 362-8.
49. Barnes JN, Hart EC, Curry TB, et al. Aging Enhances Autonomic Support of Blood Pressure in Women. Hypertension 2014; 63: 303-8.
50. Rajkumar C, Kingwell BA, Cameron JD, et al. Hormonal Therapy Increases Arterial Compliance in Postmenopausal Women. J Am Coll Cardiol 1997; 30: 350-6.
51. Shim CY, Park S, Choi D, et al. Sex Differences in Central Hemodynamics and Their Relationship to Left Ventricular Diastolic Function. J Am Coll Cardiol 2011; 57: 1226-33.
52. Fukuda D, Yoshiyama M, Shimada K, et al. Relation between aortic stiffness and coronary flow reserve in patients with coronary artery disease. Heart 2006; 92: 759-62.
53. Mitchell GF, van Buchem MA, Sigurdsson S, et al. Arterial stiffness, pressure and flow pulsatility and brain structure and function: the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study. Brain 2011: 134; 3398-407.
54. Safar ME, London GM, Plante GE. Arterial Stiffness and Kidney Function. Hypertension 2004; 43: 163-8.
55. Mitchell GF, Vita JA, Larson MG, et al. Cross-Sectional Relations of Peripheral Microvascular Function, Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, and Aortic Stiffness: The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2005; 112: 3722-8.
56. O’Rourke MF. Arterial aging: pathophysiological principles. Vasc Med 2007; 12: 329-41.
57. Wang KL, Cheng HM, Chuang SY, et al. Central or peripheral systolic or pulse pressure: which best relates to target organs and future mortality? J Hypertens 2009; 27: 461-7.
58. Roman MJ, Okin P M, Kizer JR et al. Relations of central and brachial blood pressure to left ventricular hypertrophy and geometry: the strong heart study. J Hypertens 2010; 28: 384-8.
59. Tomanek RJ, Searls JC, Lachenbruch PA. Quantitative Changes in the Capillary Bed during Developing, Peak, and Stabilized Cardiac Hypertrophy in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat. Circ Res 1982; 51: 295-304.
60. Erdogan D, Yildirim I, Ciftci O, et al. Effects of Normal Blood Pressure, Prehypertension, and Hypertension on Coronary Microvascular Function. Circulation 2007; 115: 593-9.
61. Britten MB, Zeiher AM, Schachinger V. Microvascular dysfunction in angiographically normal or mildly diseased coronary arteries predicts adverse cardiovascular outcome. Coron Artery Dis 2004; 15: 259-64.
62. Temmar M, Jankowski P, Peltier M, et al. Intraaortic Pulse Pressure Amplification in Subjects at High Coronary Risk. Hypertension 2010; 55: 327-32.
63. Verhave JC, Fesler P, du Cailar G, et al. Elevated pulse pressure is associated with low renal function in elderly patients with isolated systolic hypertension. Hypertension 2005; 45: 586-91.
64. O’Rourke MF, Safar ME. Relationship Between Aortic Stiffening and Micro vascular Disease in Brain and Kidney. Cause and Logic of Therapy. Hypertension 2005; 46: 200-4.
65. Mitchell GF, Parise H, Benjamin EJ, et al. Changes in Arterial Stiffness and Wave Reflection With Advancing Age in Healthy Men and Women. The Framingham Heart Study. Hypertension 2004; 43: 1239-45.
66. Prewitt RL, Rice DC, Dobrian AD. Adaptation of resistance arteries to increases in pressure. Microcirculation 2002; 9: 295-304.
67. Waddell TK, Dart AM, Medley TL, et al. Carotid pressure is a better predictor of coronary artery disease severity than brachial pressure. Hypertension 2001; 38: 927-31.
68. Jankowski P, Kawecka-Jaszcz K, Czarnecka D, et al. Ascending aortic, but not brachial blood pressure-derived indices are related to coronary atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis 2004; 176: 151-5.
69. Yamamoto K, Ikeda U, Shimada K. Role of mechanical stress in monocytes/macrophages: implications for atherosclerosis. Curr Vasc Pharmacol 2003; 1: 315-9.
70. Cheng JJ, Wung BS, Chao YJ, et al. Cyclic strain enhances adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells by increasing intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. Hypertension 1996; 28: 386-91.
71. Kiefer CR, McKenney JB, Trainor JF, et al. Pulse pressure-driven neutral lipid accumulation and correlative proinflammatory markers of accelerated atherogenesis. Atherosclerosis 2005; 183: 17-24.
72. Sakamoto H, Aikawa M, Hill CC, et al. Biomechanical strain induces class a scavenger receptor expression in human monocyte/macrophages and THP-1 cells: a potential mechanism of increased atherosclerosis in hypertension. Circulation 2001; 104: 109-14.
73. Jankowski P, Bilo G, Kawecka-Jaszcz K. The pulsatile component of blood pressure-Its role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Blood Press 2007; 16: 238-45.
74. Lovett JK, Howard SC, Rothwell PM. Pulse pressure is independently associated with carotid plaque ulceration. J Hypertens 2003; 21: 1669-76.
75. Huang CM, Wang KL, Cheng HM, et al. Central versus ambulatory blood pressure in the prediction of all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. J Hypertens 2011; 29: 454-9.
76. London GM, Blacher J, Pannier B, et al. Arterial Wave Reflections and Survival in End-Stage Renal Failure. Hypertension 2001; 38: 434-8.
77. Safar ME, Blacher J, Pannier B, et al. Central pulse pressure and mortality in end-stage renal disease. Hypertension 2002; 39: 735-8.
78. Roman MJ, Devereux RB, Kizer JR, et al. High central pulse pressure is independently associated with adverse cardiovascular outcome the strong heart study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2009; 54: 1730-4.
79. Pini R, Cavallini MC, Palmieri V, et al. Central but not brachial blood pressure predicts cardiovascular events in an unselected geriatric population. The ICARe Dicomano study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008; 51: 2432-9.
80. Agabiti-Rosei E, Mancia G, O'Rourke MF, et al. Central Blood Pressure Measurements and Antihypertensive Therapy: A Consensus Document. Hypertension 2007; 50: 154-60.
81. Protogerou AD, Safar ME, Papaioannou TG, et al. The combined effect of aortic stiffness and pressure wave reflections on mortality in the very old with cardiovascular disease: the PROTEGER Study. Hypertens Res 2011; 34: 803-8.
82. Mitchell GF, Hwang SJ, Vasan RS, et al. Arterial Stiffness and Cardiovascular Events: The Framingham Heart Study. Circulation 2010; 121: 505-11.
83. Chirinos JA, Zambrano JP, Chakko S, et al. Aortic Pressure Augmentation Predicts Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Established Coronary Artery Disease. Hypertension 2005; 45: 980-5.
84. Benetos A, Thomas F, Joly L. Pulse pressure amplification: a mechanical biomarker of cardiovascular risk. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010; 55: 1032-7.
85. Cecelja M, Chowienczyk P. Dissociation of Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity with Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease Other Than Hypertension: A Systematic Review. Hypertension 2009; 54: 1328-36.
86. Safar ME and Lacolley P. Disturbance of macro-and microcirculation: relations with pulse pressure and cardiac organ damage. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2007; 293: H1-H7.
87. Laurent S, Boutouyrie P, Asmar R, et al. Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in hypertensive patients. Hypertension 2001; 37: 1236-41.
88. Boutouyrie P, Tropeano AI, Asmar R, et al. Aortic stiffness is an independent predictor of primary coronary events in hypertensive patients: a longitudinal study. Hypertension 2002; 39: 10-15.
89. Cardoso CR, Ferreira MT, Leite NC, et al. Prognostic impact of aortic stiffness in high-risk type 2 diabetic patients: The Rio de Janeiro Type 2 Diabetes Cohort Study. Diabetes Care 2013; 36: 3772-8.
90. Blacher J, Guerin AP, Pannier B, et al. Impact of aortic stiffness on survival in end-stage renal disease. Circulation 1999; 99: 2434-9.
91. Meaume S, Benetos A, Henry OF, et al. Aortic pulse wave velocity predicts cardiovascular mortality in subjects > 70 years of age. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2001; 21: 2046-50.
92. Mattace-Raso FU, van der Cammen TJ, Hofman A, et al. Arterial stiffness and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: the Rotterdam Study. Circulation 2006; 113: 657-3.
93. Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, Stefanadis C. Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with arterial stiffness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010; 55: 1318-27.
94. Ben-Shlomo Y, Spears M, Boustred C, et al. Aortic pulse wave velocity improves cardiovascular event prediction: an individual participant meta-analysis of prospective observational data from 17, 635 subjects. J Am Coll Cardiol 2014; 63: 636-46.
95. McEniery CM, Yasmin, Hall IR, et al. Normal vascular aging: differential effects on wave reflection and aortic pulse wave velocity: the Anglo-Cardiff Collaborative Trial (ACCT). J Am Coll Cardiol 2005; 46: 1753-60.
96. Verbeke F, Segers P, Heireman S, et al. Noninvasive assessment of local pulse pressure: importance of brachial-to-radial pressure amplification. Hypertension 2005; 46: 244-8.
97. Mitchell GF, Hwang SJ, Vasan RS, et al. Response to Letters Regarding Article, ''Arterial Stiffness and Cardiovascular Events: The Framingham Heart Study''. Circulation 2010; 122: e515.
98. Alfie J, Waisman GD, Galarza CR, et al. Contribution of stroke volume to the change in pulse pressure pattern with age. Hypertension 1999; 34: 808-12.
99. Weber T, Auer J, O'Rourke MF, et al. Increased arterial wave reflections predict severe cardiovascular events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. Eur Heart J 2005; 26: 2657-63.
100. [100] Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, O’Rourke MF, et al. Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with central haemodynamics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Heart J 2010; 31: 1865-71.
101. [101] Millasseau SC, Patel SJ, Redwood SR, et al. Pressure Wave Reflection Assessed From the Peripheral Pulse Is a Transfer Function Necessary? Hypertension 2003; 41: 1016-20.
102. [102] Wang KL, Cheng HM, Sung SH, et al. Wave reflection and arterial stiffness in the prediction of 15-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities: a community-based study. Hypertension 2010; 55: 799-805.
103. [103] Göhl K, Perl S, Wortmann A and K. Bachmann. Ventricular performance in relation to heart rate and AV delay at rest. Eur Heart J 1992; 13 Suppl E: 91-8.
104. [104] Jankowski P, Kawecka-Jaszcz K, Czarnecka D, et al. Ascending aortic blood pressure-derived indices are not correlated with the extent of coronary artery disease in patients with impaired left ventricular function. Atherosclerosis 2006; 184: 370-6.
105. [105] Benetos A, Gautier S, Labat C, et al. Mortality and Cardiovascular Events Are Best Predicted by Low Central/Peripheral Pulse Pressure Amplification But Not by High Blood Pressure Levels in Elderly Nursing Home Subjects. The PARTAGE (Predictive Values of Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Institutionalized Very Aged Population) Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2012; 60: 1503-11.
106. [106] Mourad J-J, Danchin N, Rudnichi A, et al. on behalf of the ESCAPP investigators. Aortic pulse pressure and atherosclerotic structural alterations of coronary arteries. J Hum Hypertens 2010; 24: 51-7.
107. [107] Aronson D, Burger AJ. Relation between pulse pressure and survival in patients with decompensated heart failure. Am J Cardiol 2004; 93: 785-8.