Sympathoadrenal and cardiovascular responses to mental stress in pregnancy-induced hypertension

Nine patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension and nine healthy pregnant controls with similar gestational lengths were compared with regard to cardiovascular and sympathoadrenal reactivity during a standardized mental stress procedure (Stroop color word conflict test). The test induced increases in blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, arterial plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations, and a decrease in calf vascular resistance, but no changes in stroke volume or systemic vascular resistance. The responses of the two groups did not differ significantly with regard to any of the mentioned variables. Pregnancy-induced hypertension does not seem to be associated with an exaggerated cardiovascular or sympathoadrenal reactivity to mental stress when compared to normal pregnancy.