In recent years great emphasis has been placed on the role of central aortic blood pressure as measured non invasively using pulse wave analysis in pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases and clinical aspects of hypertension. The difference of blood pressure between the central aorta and the brachial artery (amplification) is not constant but varies according to physiological, pathological and pharmacological mechanisms. Central aortic blood pressure is more strongly related to cardiovascular organ damages than does brachial pressure. Several antihypertensive drugs have different effects on aortic blood pressure as compared with brachial pressure. Central aortic blood pressure emerges superior to brachial pressure as target blood pressure in antihypertensive treatment.
