Police officers with higher baseline blood pressure have greater cardiovascular reactivity during mental stress

Overt policing is a stressful occupational duty that burdens the cardiovascular system. Individuals with high blood pressure (BP) have been shown to have exacerbated cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress tests. However, it is unknown whether this premise is the same for policemen.

To assess whether police officers with higher baseline BP exhibit exacerbated cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress.

Forty-one policemen (34 ± 4 years) were divided into two groups: lower BP (SBP < 120 mmHg, n  = 15) and higher BP (SBP ≥ 120 mmHg, n  = 26). The policemen were also subjected to acute mental stress. Cardiovascular reactivity was assessed at 2- and 4-min, while cardiovascular recovery was analyzed at 3 and 5 min.

Policemen with higher baseline BP showed higher SBP values ( P  < 0.001) at 2 min (148 ± 12 vs. 128 ± 13 mmHg) and 4 min (140 ± 10 vs. 125 ± 9 mmHg) of the acute mental stress, compared with policemen with lower baseline BP. During recovery, policemen with higher BP showed higher SBP values ( P  < 0.001) at 3 min (130 ± 10 vs. 120 ± 7 mmHg) and 5 min (129 ± 8 vs. 116 ± 8 mmHg) compared with policemen with lower BP. DPB was higher ( P  = 0.005) in policemen with higher BP compared with the policemen with lower BP, regardless of time. There was no difference in heart rate response between groups ( P  > 0.005).

Policemen with a higher baseline BP exhibited greater cardiovascular responses during acute mental stress.