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Hostility and differences between clinic, self-determined, and ambulatory blood pressure
L D Jamner1, D Shapiro, K K Hui
1Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine.
Psychosomatic Medicine
|March 1, 1993
Summary
Personality traits, specifically hostility, influence blood pressure readings across different measurement methods. High hostility correlates with consistently high readings, while low hostility shows lower self and ambulatory blood pressure compared to clinic measurements.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Blood pressure measurement methods (clinic, self, ambulatory) can yield different results.
- Individual personality factors may contribute to these discrepancies.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for accurate hypertension diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between personality factors and blood pressure measurement differences.
- To explore the role of hostility, anxiety, and depression in blood pressure assessment variations.
- To examine the implications for "white coat hypertension".
Main Methods:
- Studied 45 patients with mild hypertension withdrawn from medication.
- Assessed blood pressure using clinic, self-recorded, and ambulatory methods.
- Administered the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and measures of anxiety and depression.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were observed across assessment methods.
- Hostility scores (total and subscales like Assault, Resentment, Guilt) correlated with blood pressure variations.
- High hostility was linked to consistently high readings; low hostility showed lower self/ambulatory readings versus clinic values.
Conclusions:
- Hostility is a significant personality factor influencing blood pressure measurement discrepancies.
- Low hostility may be associated with lower blood pressure readings outside the clinic setting.
- Findings offer insights into "white coat hypertension" and the impact of psychological traits on cardiovascular assessment.