Psychophysiologic stress testing as a predictor of mean daily blood pressure

This study describes correlations between the mean daily blood pressures determined by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and those obtained during psychophysiologic stress testing. Seven normotensive and 21 hypertensive persons were monitored for hemodynamic changes in the laboratory while undergoing various standardized, low-challenge psychophysiologic tests. The same persons then had their blood pressure monitored with an ambulatory unit for the rest of the day. The laboratory "resting" pressure used was derived by averaging measurements for mean blood pressure obtained in three positions: standing, sitting, and supine. The "stress" pressure used was the mean blood pressure obtained by averaging three readings taken during videogame playing. A good correlation (r = 0.78) between work-time blood pressure and the laboratory stress pressure was noted. The correlation was improved (r = 0.8) when the averages of laboratory resting and stress values were used. A relationship was also noted between peak pressures obtained during the laboratory testing and those obtained during work-time by ambulatory monitoring.