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Cardiovascular Reactivity in Borderline Hypertensives during Behavioural and Orthostatic Stress
Author(s) -
Drummond Peter D.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1985.tb01656.x
Subject(s) - mental arithmetic , blood pressure , heart rate , psychology , orthostatic vital signs , reactivity (psychology) , cardiology , mental stress , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Blood pressure and heart rate were measured in 16 borderline hypertensive and 10 normotensive subjects during mental arithmetic and reaction time tests, on standing, and during the pre‐test period and instructions preceding these tests. The reliability of responses was assessed on 3 consecutive days. Increases in systolic blood pressure and heart rate during mental arithmetic instructions, increases in systolic blood pressure during the mental arithmetic test, and increases in diastolic blood pressure on standing were greater in borderline hypertensives. These differences persisted throughout the 3 experimental sessions. Apart from stress ratings for the reaction time test, other behavioural measures, including number of mental arithmetic mistakes and reaction times, did not differ between normotensives and borderline hypertensives. The possibility that the parasympathetic nervous system exerts a restraining influence on sympathetic overactivity in borderline hypertension was discussed.