Subjective complaints and blood pressure.
The relationship between blood pressure and subjective complaints concerning physical well-being has been investigated. The complaints have been measured by means of the Inventory of Subjective Health. The total number of complaints are the summation of 39 items. Hypertension is assumed to have no clear-cut symptoms. This statement gives rise to the hypothesis that there is no relationship between blood pressure and subjective complaints. The hypothesis was refuted after several tests. We found a curvilinear relationship between diastolic blood pressure and subjective complaints in representative groups of men of 21-65 and 31-50 years old, valid for the total number of complaints and dizziness. This curvilinear relationship is found again after a matching procedure in order to exclude possible confounding effects of age, cigarette smoking and knowledge about elevated blood pressure status. The total number of complaints of males with a diastolic pressure higher than 95 mmHg are not significantly higher than the total number of complaints of males with a lower diastolic pressure, but the difference is significant for dizziness.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012803:Sick Role