Masked uncontrolled hypertension: risk factors and ways of influence
Authors: Shalimova A. S. , Wolf J. 
Published: June 2021

According to the current Guidelines, the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy is assessed mainly by achieving target levels of office blood pressure (BP). However, masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) increases the risk of cardiovascular events, therefore deserves timely diagnosis and correction.

Objective — to establish the prevalence and risk factors of MUCH and to clarify how the use of fixed combinations can affect the control of office and out‑of‑office BP.

Materials and methods. We examined 70 patients with arterial hypertension (AH) of 1 — 2 degrees. The initial assessment of the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy was carried out 3 months after its appointment. Of the 70 patients initially enrolled in the study, 63 were able to reach essential office BP reduction point (< 140/90 mm Hg, according to 2020 ISH Guidelines). Patients who reached essential point of office BP reduction were additionally provided 24 hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) to detect possible MUCH.

Results. It was found that among 63 patients in whom AH was controlled according to office BP data, 37 patients (58.7 %) had insufficient hypertension control according to ABPM data (they had MUCH). An assessment of possible factors for the development of MUCH showed that elderly age occurred in 29 (78.4 %) patients with MUCH, male sex — in 22 (59.5 %) patients, smoking — in 26 (70.3 %) patients, stress — in 29 (78.4 %) patients, various sleep disorders — in 17 (45.9 %) patients, diabetes mellitus (DM) — in 21 (56.8 %) patients, obesity — in 25 (67.6 %) patients, insulin resistance (IR) — in 27 (73 %) patients, chronic kidney disease (CKD) — in 13 (35.1 %) patients. Analysis of patient therapy showed that out of 37 patients with MUCH, 7 patients received monotherapy, 9 patients received free dual combinations (ACE inhibitor/sartan + calcium antagonist/diuretic), and 21 patients received fixed dual combinations. In accordance with 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines, antihypertensive therapy was strengthened for patients with MUCH: those patients who had previously received monotherapy or free combinations were transferred to double fixed combinations (ACE inhibitors/sartans + calcium antagonist/diuretic), in which both drugs acted for 24 hours, and those patients with MUCH who received double fixed combinations were transferred to triple fixed combinations. Evaluation of antihypertensive therapy after 3 months showed that of 37 patients with initially established MUCH, complete BP control was achieved in 32 (86.5 %) patients (in the remaining 5 patients, despite sufficient control of office BP, MUCH was maintained according to ABPM data).

Conclusions. In inadequate control of out‑of‑office BP, various disturbances of the circadian rhythm (with a predominance of the non‑dipper rhythm) are more common than with complete BP control. MUCH is associated with such risk factors as elderly age, male gender, smoking, stress, sleep disturbances, DM, obesity, IR, and CKD. Strengthening antihypertensive therapy contributed to the achievement of both office and out‑of‑office BP in 86.5 % of patients with previously established MUCH.