Blood pressure and catecholamine responses to 'stress' in normotensive and hypertensive subjects

A standardized 'stress' was applied to groups of normotensive and hypertensive subjects. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures rose in both groups but were significantly greater in the hypertensive than in the normotensive group. Urinary catecholamines rose with stress to a similar extent in both groups. There was no evidence that patients with sustained hypertension have an increased production of catecholamines either at rest or under 'stress'.