Psychosomatic Aspects of Hypertension

It is generally admitted that psychic factors play some part in essential hypertension. Thus, it is always emphasized that we must allow for the emotional element in individual blood pressure readings. It is also well known that rest and reassurance play a large part in the medical management of hypertensive patients, both in relief of symptoms and in reduction of the blood pressure level.1The early symptoms of hypertension are often exactly those of a psychoneurosis.2Emotional stress at times seems to precede the onset of hypertension, and anxiety bears a close relationship to the aggravation of existing symptoms in hypertension.3Personality study often reveals a deep seated conflict which stands in close relationship to this anxiety.4 To study these and related problems I have reviewed the records of 200 consecutive patients with the symptom of hypertension, of whom 144 seemed to correspond to the clinical