Changes in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring during the 2009 earthquake at L'Aquila

On April 6, 2009, at 03:32 A.M., an earthquake reaching the magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale (6.3 according to US Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center)1 and lasting 27 seconds struck L’Aquila. Quakes of lesser intensity were perceived at earlier and later times. During this event, we had the opportunity to evaluate 2 different 24-hour blood pressure ambulatory recordings. Our data offer further support to the hypothesis that sustained blood pressure and heart rate elevations, likely due to sympathetic nervous system activation, may represent 2 fundamental mechanisms responsible for the increased cardiovascular event rates reported immediately after an earthquake