London, May 22 (IANS): Cold weather affects blood pressure, shows a study that assessed a staggering 169,000 blood pressure measurements.

The study has found that some people’s blood pressure is affected more by the cold weather and this blood pressure sensitivity to temperature may be a marker of early mortality, said a statement from the University of Glasgow.

Sandosh Padmanabhan, reader at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow said: “This is a unique study as it shows that response to weather - and particularly temperature - can be reflected in blood pressure and is specific to the individual.”

The study involved assessing over 169,000 blood pressure measurements in 16,010 patients who attended the Glasgow Blood Pressure Clinic between 1970 and 2011. Each patient’s blood pressure measured at every clinic visit was mapped to prevailing weather conditions in the area on that day and the response of blood pressure to weather determined.

The team found that on average the blood pressure of an individual drops 2 percent each year if weather is similar on the two visits.

Patients differed in their response to weather, with temperature-sensitive patients showing worse blood pressure control during follow-up and a 35 percent increased risk of long-term mortality compared to the temperature non-sensitive patients.