Increased pulse-wave velocity in patients with anxiety: implications for autonomic dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychophysiology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Decreased vagal function is linked to vascular dysfunction.
• Anxiety disorders may impact autonomic nervous system regulation and vascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare vascular indices between patients with anxiety disorders and healthy controls.
• To correlate heart rate and QT interval variability with vascular indices in both groups.

Main Methods:

• Vascular indices (e.g., pulse-wave velocity, arterial stiffness index) and blood pressure were measured using the Vascular Profiler (VP-1000).
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) data were used to calculate heart rate variability (HRV) and QT interval variability.
• Age- and sex-matched controls (n=23) and patients with anxiety (n=25) participated.

Main Results:

• Anxiety patients exhibited significantly higher carotid mean arterial pressure, brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity, arterial stiffness index, and extremity blood pressure compared to controls.
• Negative correlations were found between cardiac vagal function (R-R interval high-frequency power) and increased brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity and systolic blood pressure in patients only.
• Positive correlations were observed between cardiac sympathetic function (QT variability index) and extremity mean arterial pressure and brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity in patients only.

Conclusions:

• Anxiety is associated with decreased vagal function and increased sympathetic function.
• These autonomic changes correlate with reduced arterial compliance, potential atherosclerotic changes, and elevated blood pressure in anxiety patients.