Changes in human blood pressure with season, age and solar cycles: a 26 year record.
The record was studied of a 71-year-old, diurnally active (0700-2200 hours) male psychiatrist (G.N.) who self-measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BPS and BPD) mostly but not exclusively on Sunday mornings, from 1969 to 1994. A large about-yearly change was revealed which increased with age and was accompanied by a decreasing trend in the yearly rhythm-adjusted mean (MESOR; P < 0.01). According to conventional criteria that specify only upper limits of acceptability, G.N. was hypertensive in summer and normotensive in other seasons. Since changes in both MESOR and circannual amplitude occurred, a systematic surveillance of BP is the chronobiological recommendation.
Portela
A
A
Chronobiology Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
Northrup
G
G
Halberg
F
F
Cornélissen
G
G
Wendt
H
H
Melby
J C
JC
Haus
E
E
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002909:Chronobiology Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D016082:Solar System