Similarities in cardiovascular reactivity to behavioral stressors in African-American and white males.
This study examines the influence of ethnicity (African-American vs white) and family history of hypertension on the blood pressure and heart rate responses of healthy, unmedicated men, aged 21 to 39 years, to a variety of stressors that are hypothesized to elicit beta-adrenergic or alpha-adrenergic reactivity. Cardiovascular reactivity data were also obtained in response to ischemic exercise (handgrip), and a structured interview was designed to measure anger. On the basis of previous research, we predicted that African Americans would show greater responses to the alpha-adrenergic tasks (cold pressor test) and smaller cardiovascular responses to the beta-adrenergic tasks (math challenge) compared to whites. The results indicated no significant differences between African-American and white blood pressure or heart rate responses to either of the tasks. On the other hand, both African-American and white men with family histories of hypertension had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses during exposure to each of the stressors than did men with negative family histories of hypertension. Parental history did not significantly influence heart rate responses to the stressors or resting plasma catecholamine levels in either group. African Americans had significantly lower erythrocyte lithium-sodium exchange rates and significantly higher intracellular sodium concentration compared to whites; parental history of hypertension did not influence these measures. Finally, the blood pressure responses to stress were not modified by the erythrocyte lithium-sodium exchange rate, intracellular sodium concentration, or plasma concentrations of catecholamines.
Johnson
E H
EH
Department of Family Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30331-2099.
Nazzaro
P
P
Gilbert
D C
DC
Weder
A
A
Jamerson
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D044383:Black People; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012964:Sodium / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People
D002395:Catecholamines; D012964:Sodium