A low pulse pressure predicts mortality in subjects with heart failure after an acute myocardial infarction: a post-hoc analysis of the CAPRICORN study

In patients with cardiovascular disease, a high pulse pressure is related to an increased risk of cardiovascular events but in patients with advanced heart failure, a low pulse pressure is predictive of adverse (cardiovascular) events.

We studied the prognostic importance of pulse pressure in a group of post-myocardial infarction patients, with and without signs and symptoms of heart failure. Subjects had been randomised in the CAPRICORN clinical trial, and followed up for a mean of 1.3 years.

Blood pressure was measured in 1,955 patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction a parts per thousand currency sign40%, between 3 and 21 days post myocardial infarction. Cox proportional survival models were reproduced for those with Killip Class I (n = 1342) versus classes II/III/IV heart failure (n = 613).

Overall mean (SD) age was 63 (12) years, mean (SD) left ventricular ejection fraction 33(6)%, mean (SD) baseline blood pressure was 121 (17)/74 (10) mmHg and most (73%) were male. In patients with Killip Class 1, pulse pressure was not predictive for any outcome. However, in patients with Killip Class II-IV, a low pulse pressure independently predicted all cause mortality (HR 0.83 per 10 mmHg, CI 0.71-0.98, p = 0.025), cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.83 per 10 mmHg, CI 0.70-0.98, p = 0.025) and sudden death (HR 0.77 per 10 mmHg, CI 0.60-1.00, p = 0.047). A lower pulse pressure did not predict hospitalisation for worsening heart failure.

A low pulse pressure is an independent predictor of mortality in subjects with depressed left ventricular ejection fraction after a recent myocardial infarction and evidence of Killip Class II-IV heart failure.