Effect of atmospheric temperature and pressure on blood pressure and heart rate

Aim. To assess the impact of heat waves, cold waves, extremely low and high atmospheric pressure, and 24-hout fluctuations in atmospheric pressure on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in patients with hypertension (HTN) using remote BP and HR monitoring in various regions of the Russian Federation.

Material and methods. The analysis of the database of the multicenter prospective study "Assessment of the clinical and economic effectiveness of remote monitoring of patients with hypertension" was conducted as part of the implementation of strategic socio-economic initiative "Personal Medical Assistants". The study included patients with HRN over 18 years old, receiving antihypertensive therapy and living in Tyumen (n=1374), Novosibirsk (n=428) and Surgut (n=548). BP and HR were measured in the morning and evening. Follow-up was conducted from November 14, 2023, to December 23, 2024. The influence of meteorological factors on the averaged 24-hour values of the indicator studied was assessed in two stages using the method of time series analysis with 24-hour resolution. In the first stage, "local effects" were calculated in each city, numerically characterizing the influence of a given stress factor on the physiological indicator under study, using a linear generalized regression model of mortality. In the second stage, random-effects meta-analysis was used to obtain pooled effect estimates.

Results. During heat waves, there was a decrease in BP with the magnitude of the effect gradually decreasing with increasing lag and maintaining statistical significance until day 11. During cold waves, an increase in blood pressure was observed, with the magnitude of the effect also decreasing with increasing lag and maintaining statistical significance until day 3. In absolute terms, the effect of heat is 2-3 times greater than that of cold, reaching 3,5 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure. Extremely low atmospheric pressure and particularly sharp pressure fluctuations during the day are risk factors, leading to increased blood pressure and heart rate. However, the absolute magnitude of the effect is quite small, not exceeding 0,8 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure.

Conclusion. The study results confirmed the influence of meteorological factors on the hemodynamics of hypertensive patients, even those receiving antihypertensive therapy. Further study of the influence of meteorological factors on blood pressure and heart rate is of great practical importance.

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