Bedtime hypertension chronotherapy best reduces cardiovascular disease risk as documented by MAPEC and Hygia Chronotherapy outcomes trials

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this communication is to describe the unique features of the investigative protocols of both MAPEC and Hygia Chronotherapy Trial and to discuss in detail the advantages, limitations, and potential implications of their findings, both for the diagnosis and management of true arterial hypertension that we propose must be defined according to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)-based criteria. In particular, the recommended approach for diagnosis and follow-up of hypertension derived from the findings of MAPEC and Hygia Chronotherapy Trial entails baseline 48-h ABPM assessment for both proper diagnosis of true arterial hypertension and establishment of the eventual need of therapeutic intervention, plus follow-up by periodic 48-h ABPM assessment, specifically for evaluation of timed treatment efficacy and safety.

KEYWORDS:

• Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
• sleep-time blood pressure
• bedtime hypertension chronotherapy
• cardiovascular risk
• Hygia Chronotherapy Trial
• MAPEC Study
• Hygia project
• angiotensin-II receptor blockers
• angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.