[Changes in arterial pressure and adrenergic activity during a holiday at a mountain at low altitude]

To answer the question often asked by hypertensive patients whether it is advisable for them to spend a holiday in the mountains for fear of a rise in blood pressure, 12 untreated mild hypertensive and 12 normotensive subjects underwent 24-hour non-invasive blood pressure monitoring, plasma catecholamines assay (HPLC) and plasma renin activity determination at home (sea level) and in a mountain resort (1210 m). The 2 evaluations (at home and in the mountains) were performed in a cross-over fashion. The ICR Spacelabs Pressuromaster and the Del Mar Avionics Pressurometer IV were used: blood pressure was measured every 8 minutes during daytime and every 15 minutes during sleep. Blood pressure was also recorded during a 1.5 to 3 hour excursion by cable-car to a height of 3006 m. Average 24-hour blood pressure at sea level was 134/86.7 mmHg in the hypertensive subjects and 115.8/73.6 mmHg in the normotensive ones. At 1210 m, it rose to 140.6/90.2 mmHg (n.s.) and to 120.8/74.9 mmHg (n.s.) respectively. Twenty-four-hour profiles showed that the blood pressure difference was present only during waking hours, while during sleep blood pressure levels were similar at sea level and in the mountains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)