Blood pressure variability at annual periodic health examination for employees and cardiovascular risk factors.

The employees with hypertension at the annual periodic health examination (HE) for employees in Japan usually receive a re-examination of blood pressure (BP) on another day and are often found to be normotensive. In this study, we analyzed data from the HE at the workplace to determine whether or not such employees should receive medical care. Two groups of subjects were selected. One group (group 1) was composed of 50 subjects with normotension at the HE (controls). Another group (group 2) was composed of 33 subjects with hypertension at the annual HE but with normotension in re-examinations. Cardiovascular risk factors were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1: mean values of the body mass index (group 1, 22 +/- 2.7 vs. group 2, 24.3 +/- 3.1 kg/m2, p < 0.01), total cholesterol (group 1, 197 +/- 36 vs. group 2, 222 +/- 42 mg/dl, p < 0.01), and low density lipoprotein (group 1, 118 +/ 32 vs. group 2, 137 +/- 38 mg/dl, p < 0.05). The proportion of the employees with high-normal BP in group 2 (42.5%) was significantly higher than that in group 1 (28.0%) (p < 0.01). These indicate that the employees with hypertension at the annual HE but with normotension in the re-examination require further medical attention and should receive medical supervision. The occupational physician should supervise these employees.