Central and Peripheral Blood Pressure in Stroke

Individuals who experience a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) are at heightened risk of subsequent vascular events, including heart attacks and secondary stroke/TIA. Blood pressure control is considered the most important contributor to positive health outcomes in stroke patients. The measurement of central blood pressure (cSBP) (the blood pressure which is being exerted at the heart), may provide clinicians with important diagnostic and prognostic information over and above that typically obtained from a peripheral blood pressure measure (the blood pressure in the arm). Central blood pressures may be better than traditional peripheral blood pressure measures as: i) peripheral blood pressure may not accurately reflect the effects of peak arterial blood pressure on centrally located organs, ii) central blood pressures may be 50 % superior to peripheral blood pressures when predicting cardiovascular events, and iii) information pertaining to central blood pressures may be more effective in the management of hypertension. While the validity of oscillometric devices which measure central blood pressures has been demonstrated, further study is required to determine precision under normal clinical operating conditions (i.e., reflective of the Hospital/GP practice setting). As such, this study will assess central and peripheral blood pressures of stroke patients when fasted and nonfasted, and when seated and supine. The study is interested in identifying the effect of the above parameters (fasted vs. unfasted, seated vs. supine) on central and peripheral blood pressures in stroke patients. Participants will take part in three separate assessment sessions, on three separate days, with a minimum 24 hour recovery between each session. Each assessment is expected to last 90 minutes, with a minimum of eight blood pressures being taken from the left upper arm. As such, participants will be asked to give up 4.5 hours of their time to the study. During each assessment p