Significance of elevated blood pressure and its management on the short-term outcome of patients with acute ischemic stroke

Background The objectives of this study were to characterize blood pressure (BP) in acute ischemic stroke and to determine its relationship with short-term functional outcome. Methods We examined 24-h BP recordings in 434 patients with ischemic stroke (lacunar stroke [LS], n = 205; non-lacunar stroke [NLS], n = 229) and in 178 normotensive subjects. Stroke severity was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Patients found to be hypertensive on BP recordings on day 1 were given captopril or amlodipine. The primary outcome was both moderate-to-severe disability (Rankin scale scores 4 to 6) on day 7 or death during hospital stay. Results Patients with LS and NLS had significantly higher systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP levels than control subjects. On day 1, patients with NLS showed significantly higher NIHSS scores, SBP, and heart rate (HR) levels than LS patients. In the multivariate analysis, combined death or dependency was associated with NIHSS score (odds ratio [OR] = 1.08 per 1-point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04 to 1.13), 24-h SBP >160 mm Hg (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.10 to 5.52), and plasma glucose levels >125 mg/dL on admission (OR = 1.88, 95% CI =1.03 to 3.57), whereas a decrease in SBP on day 7 (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.24 to 0.88) was associated with better short-term outcome. Conclusions At presentation, NLS patients showed higher BP levels than LS patients. Moderate reductions in BP during the first week after admission were associated with short-term functional improvement in patients with acute ischemic stroke.