Intra-arterial blood pressure reactivity during psychological stress tasks improved the prediction of future blood pressure and the need for antihypertensive medication over 9-12 years of follow-up.
Cohort (n=95)
No
Increased blood pressure (BP) reactivity to subtypes of psychological stimuli may differentially predict the development of future BP elevation or hypertension. The authors present the 9-12-year follow-up results of 82 (86%) of 95 male participants with different BP levels. They were healthy, untreated, and age-matched volunteers from a routine health checkup carried out on all 35-, 40-, and 45-year-olds from a medium-sized city. Intra-arterial systolic blood pressure (SBP) during the psychological tasks improved the prediction of future casual SBP and noninvasive 24-hr ambulatory SBP compared with predictions from casual diagnostic measurements. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was very useful when added to casual DBP in predicting the need for antihypertensive medication. Reactivity to active tasks especially predicts the need for antihypertensive medication.
Tuomisto et al. (Sat,) conducted a cohort in Blood pressure elevation or hypertension (n=95). Psychological stress tasks vs. Casual diagnostic measurements was evaluated on Future casual SBP, noninvasive 24-hr ambulatory SBP, and need for antihypertensive medication. Intra-arterial blood pressure reactivity during psychological stress tasks improved the prediction of future blood pressure and the need for antihypertensive medication over 9-12 years of follow-up.