Key result
Overweight and obesity linked to ~20% lower systolic blood pressure stress reactivity versus lean men.
Why the study?
The effect of adiposity on cardiovascular responses to acute psychological stress in men aged 50-70 years was not well defined.
Does overweight/obesity alter cardiovascular responses to acute psychological stress in men aged 50-70 years?
Observational (n=42)
Does overweight/obesity alter cardiovascular responses to acute psychological stress in men aged 50-70 years?
Absolute Event Rate: 41% vs 51.5%
p-value: p=<0.05
Moderate adiposity in older men is associated with reduced systolic blood pressure reactivity and blood pressure variability following acute psychological stress, suggesting they are at no greater risk of unfavorable acute cardiovascular stress responses than lean men.
Moderate adiposity was associated with blunted SBP reactivity to stress in older men; leaves open implications for long-term CV risk.
BACKGROUND: To determine the effect of adiposity in males aged 50-70 years on cardiovascular responses to acute psychological stress. METHODS: Lean (BMI 20-25 kg/m(2)) (n = 21) and overweight/obese (BMI 27-35 kg/m(2)) (n = 21) men aged 50-70 years were subjected to psychological stress. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, total peripheral resistance, and cardiac output were measured by a Finometer during resting (60 min), stress (30 min), and recovery (90 min). RESULTS: The lean group had a significantly higher SBP stress reactivity when compared to the overweight/obese group (51.5 ± 3.7% vs. 41.0 ± 2.9% (mean ± SEM) ; p < 0.05). A significant effect of time was observed for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, total peripheral resistance, and cardiac output (p < 0.0001 for all). There were significant time × body type interactions for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, total peripheral resistance, and cardiac output (p < 0.05 for all). Total peripheral resistance during recovery was higher in the lean compared to the overweight/obese group (p < 0.05). In the lean group, systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability remained elevated after stress (p < 0.05) but returned to resting levels in the overweight/obese group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Moderate adiposity in men was associated with reduced systolic blood pressure % reactivity, total peripheral resistance, and blood pressure variability after psychological stress. Overweight/obese men appear to be at no greater risk of unfavorable cardiovascular responses to stress.
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Torres et al. (2014) conducted an observational in Overweight/Obesity (n=42). Overweight/obesity vs. Lean (BMI 20-25 kg/m2) was evaluated on Systolic blood pressure stress reactivity (p=<0.05). Overweight and obese men aged 50-70 years demonstrated significantly lower systolic blood pressure stress reactivity compared to lean men (41.0% vs 51.5%, p<0.05) after acute psychological stress.
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