[Baroreflex control and circadian variability of arterial blood pressure in patients with "mild" hypertension and hemodynamically insignificant atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid arteries].

Sinocarotid baroreflex control by means of the neck chamber technique (-40 mm Hg, 4 min) and blood pressure monitoring with a SpaceLabs 90207 system were performed in 45 patients with mild essential hypertension who were divided into 2 groups: (1) those with hemodynamically insignificant carotid atherosclerotic lesions (n = 19) and (2) those without them (n = 26). Group 1 patients showed a decreased cardiochronotropic component of baroreflex control, higher blood pressure variability and less pronounced nocturnal blood pressure fall. The above facts are likely to contribute to progression of essential hypertension and aggravation of target organ lesions.