Air-conditioning and health: effect on pulse and blood pressure of young healthy Nigerians.
Blood pressure and pulse of 32 young healthy Nigerian volunteers were determined after they had been in an air-conditioned room from between 60 and 90 minutes. The same determinations were made at the same time of another day with air-conditioning switched off for the same period. The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 115.3 +/- 11.5 mmHg under air-conditioner (AC) and 108.5 +/- 10.1 mmHg without air-conditioning. This difference was statistically significant (p less than 001). Similarly, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was higher in AC, 69.4 +/- 8.9 mmHg, than without AC, 66.5 +/- 9.1 mmHg (p less than 025), while mean blood pressure was also higher in AC, 84.9 +/- 9.1 mmHg, than without, 79.9 +/- 7.7 mmHg (less than 005). There was no significant different in pulse rate. These differences in the BP of normal young subjects are not thought to be of clinical significance but the result suggests that study of the effect of AC on BP and pulse in older subjects and hypertensive subjects is desirable.
Ihenacho
H N
HN
Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
D000328:Adult; D000389:Air Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology