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Subjective complaints and blood pressure
Insights
This study found a non-linear link between diastolic blood pressure and physical well-being complaints in men. Dizziness showed a significant relationship with higher diastolic pressure.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Hypertension often lacks distinct symptoms, leading to the assumption of no correlation with subjective complaints.
- Investigating the link between blood pressure and physical well-being is crucial for understanding patient experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that there is no relationship between blood pressure and subjective physical complaints.
- To explore the nature of the relationship between diastolic blood pressure and self-reported health issues.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Inventory of Subjective Health, comprising 39 items, to quantify physical complaints.
- Employed a matching procedure to control for confounding factors like age, smoking, and awareness of hypertension.
- Analyzed data from representative groups of men aged 21-65 and 31-50.
Main Results:
- A curvilinear relationship was identified between diastolic blood pressure and the total number of subjective complaints.
- This curvilinear relationship was also observed specifically for dizziness.
- While total complaints were not significantly higher in men with diastolic pressure >95 mmHg, dizziness showed a significant difference.
Conclusions:
- The initial hypothesis of no relationship between blood pressure and subjective complaints was refuted.
- A complex, curvilinear association exists between diastolic blood pressure and physical well-being, particularly concerning dizziness.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering subjective complaints in hypertension management.
Abstract:
The relationship between blood pressure and subjective complaints concerning physical well-being has been investigated. The complaints have been measured by means of the Inventory of Subjective Health. The total number of complaints are the summation of 39 items. Hypertension is assumed to have no clear-cut symptoms. This statement gives rise to the hypothesis that there is no relationship between blood pressure and subjective complaints. The hypothesis was refuted after several tests. We found a curvilinear relationship between diastolic blood pressure and subjective complaints in representative groups of men of 21-65 and 31-50 years old, valid for the total number of complaints and dizziness. This curvilinear relationship is found again after a matching procedure in order to exclude possible confounding effects of age, cigarette smoking and knowledge about elevated blood pressure status. The total number of complaints of males with a diastolic pressure higher than 95 mmHg are not significantly higher than the total number of complaints of males with a lower diastolic pressure, but the difference is significant for dizziness.