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Neither perceived job stress nor individual cardiovascular reactivity predict high blood pressure

Jean Pierre Fauvel1, Ignasse M'Pio, Pierre Quelin

  • 1Département de Néphrologie et d'Hypertension artérielle, Hôpital E Herriot, 69437 Lyon, France. jean-pierre.fauvel@chu-lyon.fr

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)
|November 5, 2003
PubMed

Insights

High job strain and cardiovascular reactivity to stress do not predict future high blood pressure (BP) in healthy adults. This 5-year study found no increased hypertension risk in individuals with high job strain or high BP stress reactivity.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Occupational Health
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Previous research indicated a link between high job strain and elevated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) during work hours.
  • The influence of professional strain perception and cardiovascular reactivity on long-term blood pressure (BP) progression remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the long-term impact of perceived professional strain and cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress on the development of hypertension.
  • To assess whether high job strain (HS) or high BP stress reactivity (HR) are significant risk markers for future hypertension in healthy adults.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 292 healthy adults was followed for 5 years to track progression to hypertension (defined by specific SBP or DBP increases).
  • Subjects were categorized into high-strain (HS) and non-high-strain (NHS) groups, and high-reactivity (HR) and non-high-reactivity (NHR) groups for comparison.
  • Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and end-of-follow-up 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements were utilized.

Main Results:

  • Hypertension developed in 31.8% of the subjects over the 5-year follow-up period.
  • Neither the high-strain group nor the high-reactivity group showed an increased incidence of hypertension compared to their respective control groups.
  • End-of-study ambulatory BP levels were similar between the HS and NHS groups, and between the HR and NHR groups.

Conclusions:

  • Perceived high job strain and high cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress do not appear to be major predictors of future high blood pressure in healthy young adults.
  • Factors such as age, alcohol consumption, salt intake, BMI, and occupation did not confound these findings.

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