A comparative analysis of rate pressure product between prehypertensives and normotensives and its correlation with body mass index

Introduction: An escalating global epidemic of overweight and obesity had contributed to a significant increase in the prevalence of prehypertension wide across the nation. While the autonomic imbalance in pre-hypertensives has been extensively studied, the association of rate pressure product as a marker of myocardial oxygen consumption, with cardiovascular dysfunction in pre-hypertensives has received less attention. The present study aimed at comparing the rate pressure product between pre-hypertensives and normotensives and to measure its correlation with body mass index. Materials and methods: About 100 male study participants in the age group of 18-23 years were recruited for the present cross sectional study and were classified into pre-hypertensives and normotensives depending on their blood pressure measurements. Rate pressure product was measured as a product of systolic blood pressure and heart rate. The results were compared between pre-hypertensives and normotensives and also within the subgroups based on their body mass index. Results: The rate pressure product was significantly higher among pre-hypertensives compared to the normotensives, with a highest value among overweight pre-hypertensives (p < 0.0001). The rate pressure product also showed a significant positive correlation with body mass index only in pre-hypertensives. Conclusion: Thus rate pressure product, as a simple non-invasive measure of myocardial oxygen consumption, could be used for early detection of hemodynamic stress in young individuals with prehypertension and the cardiovascular risk with prehypertension may be linked to the rate pressure product and level of body mass index. Keywords: Body mass index, Normotensives, Pre-hypertensives, Rate Pressure Product