Physical activity is one of the main mechanisms responsible for maintaining blood pressure regulation and vascular function, therefore it is important to understand the connection between these indices in an active population to discern early deterioration of the vascular wall. This study aimed to investigate differences in central and peripheral arterial stiffness among healthy, physically active individuals with varying blood pressure levels. Fifty participants aged 18-30 years, free of chronic diseases and other cardiovascular risk factors were included in the study. Arterial stiffness was measured using central (cfPWV) and peripheral (brPWV) pulse-wave velocity. Results showed significantly higher cfPWV in individuals with high-normal blood pressure compared to those with optimal blood pressure (p = 0.02). Correlation analysis showed a moderate association between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cfPWV (r = 0.63, p = 0.001), and a weak association between SBP and brPWV (r = 0.36, p = 0.012). A moderate correlation was observed between cfPWV and brPWV (r = 0.43, p = 0.007). No significant associations were observed between diastolic blood pressure and either arterial stiffness measure. These findings suggest that elevated blood pressure is associated with increased arterial stiffness and early vascular changes in young healthy individuals, even in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors. The findings emphasize the utility and clinical relevance of arterial stiffness measurements as a sensitive marker of cardiovascular health.
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