Impact of Chronic Psychosocial Stress on Autonomic Cardiovascular Regulation in Otherwise Healthy Subjects

• Published in: Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. 1979) Vol. 46; no. 5; pp. 1201 - 1206
• Main Authors: Lucini, Daniela, Di Fede, Gaetana, Parati, Gianfranco, Pagani, Massimo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Heart Association, Inc 01.11.2005; Hagerstown, MD Lippincott
• Subjects: Adult; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Autonomic Nervous System - physiopathology; Baroreflex; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular System - innervation; Cardiovascular System - physiopathology; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Disease; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart Rate; Hemodynamics. Rheology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Posture; Psychology; Sinoatrial Node - physiopathology; Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiopathology; Vagus Nerve - physiopathology; Vasomotor System - physiopathology; Vertebrates: cardiovascular system; Human; Hypertension; Systolic pressure; risk factors; Diastolic pressure; Variability; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiac index; Spectral analysis; Stress; hypertension, arterial; Incidence; RR interval; baroflex; Autonomic nervous system; Baroreflex; Risk factor; General practice; Perception; Arterial pressure; behavior; Comparative study

Elevated psychosocial stress might favor the occurrence of cardiovascular disease; however, mechanisms are incompletely understood. We hypothesized that patients (n=126; 44±1 years of age) referred to an internal medicine clinic because of symptoms related to chronic psychosocial stress would demons...