Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important problem of medicine. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most common comorbidities in patients with COPD, and they have a negative impact on severity and prognosis. Variations of blood pressure (BP) as well as bronchial tonus are dependent on autonomous nervous system. In our study we aimed to evaluate the relation between the blood pressure variability (BPV) and severity of bronchial obstruction in patients with COPD.

We examined 27 patients with COPD stage II-III in the phase of exacerbation. The average age of 59 years. 70,4 % of patients were smokers. Control group consisted of 8 healthy persons. We estimated age, gender, body mass index, smoking index, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), BPV parameters - day/night time and total systolic and diastolic BP, day/night time and total pulse and mean BP. Patients with concomitant ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension and obesity were not included into the research.

We found that patients with COPD demonstrated statistically significant increased day and night time systolic BP, night time diastolic BP and  total pulse BP comparing to control group (p<0,05).  The advanced stage of the disease was characterized by decreased BPV mainly due to night time systolic and diastolic BP, with no difference in men and women. HR and RR increased in proportion to the stage of COPD, gender differences were not statistically evident.

We conclude that patients with COPD in stages II-III demonstrate higher systolic, diastolic and pulse BP comparing to healthy subjects. With progress of COPD, a decrease of BPV is present with no statistical difference between men and women. We assume that hypoxia and chronic inflammation in patients with COPD affects the level of their BP and its dynamics.