Work

The Impact of Visitor Exposure on Patients’ Blood Pressure After Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Environmental stimulation on stroke units (SUs) may affect hemodynamic stability, but the impact of direct and indirect visiting exposure in shared rooms has not been well characterized. This study aimed to assess whether real-time exposure to visits directed to the study patient or to a roommate is associated with blood pressure (BP) variability. We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study. Automated blood pressure measurements were linked to nurse-recorded visitor status in consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to a university stroke unit over 3 months. Exposure was classified as no visitors, roommate visitors, or own visitors. Mixed-effects models adjusted for time of day and clinical covariates were used. A total of 8,963 blood pressure readings from 87 patients were analyzed: no visitors accounted for 6,607 (73.7%) readings, roommate visitors for 823 (9.2%), and own visitors for 1,533 (17.1%). Visiting exposure showed time-dependent hemodynamic effects. Roommate visits were associated with higher pulse pressure (PP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and mean blood pressure (MBP) at selected morning, early afternoon, and evening time points, whereas own visits were associated with lower PP at multiple time points. At 09:00, maximal mean BP differences between roommate visitors and own visitors reached 21 mmHg for PP and 27 mmHg for SBP. Visitor presence was associated with short-term, time-dependent BP variability in the early post-stroke period. In shared SU rooms, roommate visitors may represent a modifiable environmental stressor. Ultimately, biobehaviorally informed visiting practices, strategic room allocation, and stimulus-reduction strategies may help optimize hemodynamic stability during acute stroke recovery.

Source: Applied Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/app16188980

Authors: Izabela Wojtasz, Kacper Nijakowski, Radosław Kaźmierski

Institutions: University of Zielona Góra, Poznan University of Medical Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies

Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896