Familial predisposition to hypertension was not associated with enhanced sympathetic activity or heightened cardiovascular responsiveness to laboratory challenges in normotensive young men.
Cross-Sectional (n=90)
Do normotensive young adult men with a family history of hypertension exhibit enhanced sympathoadrenal activity and cardiovascular reactivity compared to those without a family history?
Normotensive young adults with a family history of essential hypertension do not show evidence of enhanced sympathetic activity or heightened cardiovascular responsiveness to stressors.
To determine whether offspring of hypertensives show enhanced sympathetic nervous system activity, we evaluated several indices of sympathoadrenal activation and cardiovascular responsiveness to behavioral stimuli among 90 normotensive, young adult men having either one or two hypertensive parents (PH+(-), PH++) or normotensive parents only (PH--) (n = 30/group). Measurements included heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) reactions to three mental stressors (the Stroop test, mental arithmetic, mirror tracing), a cold pressor test, postural adjustment (60 degrees upright tilt), isometric exercise and bicycle ergometry, as well as the 24-h excretion of catecholamines (epinephrine E, norepinephrine NE) and venous plasma catecholamine concentrations, both at rest (seated and supine) and in response to the Stroop test and upright tilt. The three groups did not differ in age, education, body mass index (BMI), estimated aerobic fitness, resting HR, cardiac preejection period (PEP) and PEP:LVET (left ventricular ejection time) ratio, 24-h Na or K excretion, or fasting lipids, insulin or plasma renin activity. Resting systolic and diastolic BP varied as a function of parental hypertension, and were significantly higher in PH++ than among PH-- subjects (P < .05). No significant group difference was observed on any measure of plasma or urinary catecholamines, nor did offspring of hypertensives (PH++ or PH+-) showed greater HR or BP reactions than PH-- subjects to any of the several laboratory challenges. In sum, we find no evidence of enhanced sympathetic activity or heightened cardiovascular responsiveness among normotensive young adults who are familially predisposed to essential hypertension.
Stephen B. Manuck (Fri,) conducted a cross-sectional in Familial predisposition to essential hypertension (n=90). Familial predisposition to hypertension (one or two hypertensive parents) vs. Normotensive parents only was evaluated on Sympathoadrenal activation and cardiovascular responsiveness to behavioral stimuli. Familial predisposition to hypertension was not associated with enhanced sympathetic activity or heightened cardiovascular responsiveness to laboratory challenges in normotensive young men.