Arterial pressure reactivity to experimental stress tests in normotensive humans with arterial pressure...

Normotensive individuals with a sedentary life style and low occupational physical activity presenting an elevated arterial pressure response during the bicycle exercise test (systolic pressure, SP, > or = 220 and/or an increase in diastolic pressure, delta DP, > or = 15 mmHg) (hyperreactive group, HG, N = 45) were submitted to the following tests: isometric hand-grip, cold pressor, mathematical calculation and word/color conflict (Stroop). Their results were compared with those obtained for a control group of normotensive individuals with normal response during the bicycle exercise test (SP < 220 and delta DP < 15 mmHg) (normoreactive group, NG, N = 45). In the isometric hand-grip a differentiated increase of SP and DP (P < 0.01) was observed in the HG as compared with the NG. In the cold pressor test a different increase of SP and DP was also demonstrable (P < 0.05). The mathematical and word/color conflict tests produced highly differentiated responses of SP (P < 0.01) and DP (P < 0.05) between groups. These results indicate that HG individuals present an arterial pressure response significantly higher than the NG during stress tests. Although the elevated levels of arterial pressure used for group selection may have contributed to the formation of an indiscriminate arterial pressure hyperreactive group, the results, taken as a whole, suggest that hyperreactive individuals present higher levels of sympathetic drive and/or an increased response of the cardiovascular system to adrenergic stimulation.