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Cardiovascular reactivity, hostility, and family history of hypertension
1Department of Psychology, University of Kansas, Lawrence.
Insights
Cardiovascular reactivity, particularly diastolic blood pressure, is linked to suppressed hostility. Systolic blood pressure reactivity shows complex links with irritability, influenced by family history of hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cardiology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Cardiovascular reactivity is a key factor in stress-related diseases.
- Hostility, both overt and covert, has been implicated in cardiovascular health.
- Understanding these relationships is crucial for disease prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between cardiovascular reactivity and different facets of hostility.
- To investigate how parental history of hypertension moderates the link between SBP reactivity and irritability.
Main Methods:
- Assessed cardiovascular reactivity, specifically systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- Measured overt and covert hostility, including irritability.
- Analyzed data considering parental history of hypertension.
Main Results:
- Diastolic blood pressure reactivity correlated with lower overt hostility.
- Systolic blood pressure reactivity linked to irritability differently based on hypertension history: low irritability for those with a parental history, high irritability for those without.
Conclusions:
- The expression of hostility, not just its experience, is relevant to cardiovascular reactivity.
- Irritability's impact on systolic blood pressure reactivity is modulated by genetic predisposition to hypertension.
- Findings contribute to understanding cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Abstract:
This study was conducted to evaluate the relations between cardiovascular reactivity and two types of hostility, namely, overt expression of hostility in contrast to the covert experience of hostility. Diastolic blood pressure reactivity was associated with not overtly expressing hostility. For persons with a parental history of hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity was associated with low scores on the covert hostility measure of irritability, while for persons without a parental history of hypertension, SBP reactivity was associated with high scores for irritability. The results are discussed in light of research in the area of cardiovascular reactivity and stress-related cardiovascular disease.