Will retinal AVR and T1 predict cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients?

Abstract

TITLE: Will retinal AVR and TI predict cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients? BACKGROUND: Arterial hypertension (AHT) is the most important and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbimortality (CVMM). The risk stratification tables for cardiovascular disease (CVD) do not include the retinal examination in early stages of AHT although retinal vessel alterations have proved to be associated with higher CVD risk. Retinography shows the state of our microcirculation system in vivo and it could give us information about the CVMM of hypertensive patients. Predicting the CVD risk by the use of retinography is an accessible and non-invasive way to control hypertensive patients during the evolution of this disease. So, AVR and TI could become important tools in the stratification risk of CVD and in the prevention of future cardiovascular events. MAIN OBJECTIVE: Determine whether cardiovascular prognosis could be predicted by the use of retinography (AVR and TI) in newly diagnosed and never-treated hypertensive patients. METHODS: It is an observational and prospective cohort study which will include newly diagnosed and never-treated hypertensive patients from Girona attending the CAP’s of Anglès and Cassà de la Selva meeting the inclusion criteria. All participants will be following up during a total of 7 years. They will comply the ICS protocol for the AHT monitoring and a part of this; they will be practised a retinography per eye in order to calculate the AVR and the TI.