[Psychophysiological correlations and reactivity of patients with hypertension]

A clinical psychophysiologic and psychologic assessment was made twice, at 12 months' interval, in 203 patients with essential hypertension (EH). In addition to aggravated heredity, EH patients showing more marked BP increment under emotional stress had higher level of anxiety, rigidity and interpersonal conflicts. Different cardiovascular response to various emotive stressors was dependent on psychological characteristics of EH patients. EH patients with increased BP over follow-up period originally showed more marked diastolic BP response to emotional stress, and slower BP recovery after the exposure.