Nicotine and caffeine effects on the task-elicited blood pressure response

Nine subjects participated in four daily sessions during which a psychomotor task was performed prior to and following drug administration. Blood pressure was reliably increased by task performance, cigarette smoking, and caffeine administration. The effect of the combination of task performance, cigarette smoking and caffeine administration was additive, resulting in a markedly increased blood pressure during task performance for subjects smoking cigarettes and receiving caffeine.