Hemodynamic and Endocrine Responsiveness to Mental Arithmetic Task and Mirror Drawing Test in Patients With Essential Hypertension

Abstract To evaluate the reactivity to psychological stress in patients with essential hypertension we investigated hemodynamic and endocrinologic changes during a mental arithmetic task (MAT) and a mirror drawing test (MDT) in 10 hypertensive subjects. Hemodynamic changes were assessed continuously using an ambulatory radionuclide cardiac detector. There were significant increases in systolic blood pressure ( : +37.8 ± 11.1 and +41.0 ± 9.4 mm Hg during MAT and MDT, respectively, P< .01) and diastolic blood pressure ( : +17.5 ± 3.1 and +21.2 ± 3.9 mm Hg, P< .01) and in heart rate ( : +17.1 ± 5.3 and +12.5 ± 2.9 beats/min, P< .01) during both tasks in association with an increase in cardiac output (CO). The plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine increased during both the MAT ( : +0.074 ± 0.022 ng/mL, P< .01; : +0.068 ± 0.025 ng/mL, P< .01) and the MDT ( : +0.067 ± 0.034 ng/mL, P< .01; : +0.030 ± 0.011 ng/mL, .05