Psychophysiological reactivity of borderline hypertensives and their recovery after mental stress.

UNLABELLED: The question of psychophysiological reactivity of borderline hypertensives is still controversial.

METHODS

Young males with borderline blood pressure levels and normotensive controls were recruited during a routine examination. Samples of study I comprised 19 subjects, samples of study II 18 subjects. Two stressors were presented (distressing movie, mental arithmetic), each followed by a recovery phase. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and electrodermal parameters were assessed repeatedly.

RESULTS

Borderline hypertensives showed greater reactions to stressors in systolic blood pressure only. Changes in percentage of baseline levels were essentially the same. Recovery after stress did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSION

Only moderate support is given to the hypothesis that borderline hypertensives show increased and slowly recovering psychophysiological responses.