Neurovegetative Assessment in Subjects With a Risk for Hypertension

Cardiacneurovegetative assessment was studied in 60 subjects divided into three groups consisting of 20 normotensive subjects without familial hyper-tension, 20 normotensive subjects with familial hypertension, and 20 patients with mild hyperten-sion. Cardiacneurovegetative function was investi-gated by evaluations of these parameters: systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, skin conductance, and muscular contraction. These measurements were taken before and after psychological stress (mathematical, Sacks' incomplete sentences, electrical, auditory) and after physical stress (cold, hand grip, head-up tilt, lying, and standing). The results showed a significant difference of the psychophysiologic profiles among the three groups. On the contrary, the cardiovascular variables were not very sensitive or well-discriminating, espe-cially when response amplitude was considered. In conclusion we propose the hypothesis that identifi-cation of the psychophysiologic profile in certain individuals may be a better marker for future development of hypertension in subjects with a genetic risk. Am J Hypertens 1989;2:24S-28S KEY WORDS: Neurovegetative system, risk for hypertension, stress. Results from previous studies show that subjects with a genetic risk for hypertension present peculiar clinical and biological features in re-sponse to various situations. These responses frequently differentiate them from subjects without ge-netic risk. Blood pressure of children may oftentimes show a strong positive correlation with parent's pres-sures, as well as a steeper increase in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO) and vascular reactivity after various kinds of stress. Also, a greater sodium and water retention occurs in predisposed subjects. 1 " 6 These studies combined with other evidence are of great interest because they support the hypothesis for the neural pathogenesis of essential hypertension and the genetic predisposition for it. These findings also open the door to future studies for the prevention of arterial hypertension