Relationship between pulse pressure and extent of coronary artery disease

AIM: To probe into the relationship between pulse pressure (PP) and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Coronary artery angiography was performed in 515 hospitalized patients with chest pain. Comparison was conducted according to age, systolic pressure (SBP), diastolic pressure (DBP), mean aortic pressure (MAP), PP and extent of CAD among the 338 confirmed CAD cases and the 177 non-CAD cases. The extent of CAD was evaluated by the numbers of involved coronary arteries. RESULTS: Compared with those in non-CAD cases, a significant increase was observed in age, SBP, MAP and PP in CAD cases. CAD and complication of essential hypertension (EH) significantly increased in males in accordance with the higher number of involved coronary arteries (all P<0.05, P<0.01). With the increase of PP level, there was a significant increase in age, SBP, MAP, extent of CAD and complication with EH, but a decrease in the incidence of CAD in males (all P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: PP is closely related with CAD. The number of involved coronary arteries increases with PP. The increase of PP is associated with higher age and EH.