title: Blood pressure responses to mental stress in emotionally defensive patients with stable coronary artery disease.
abstract: Emotional defensiveness, defined by concealment of both negative emotions and personal vulnerability, was substantially and consistently correlated with the magnitude of blood pressure reactions to 2 types of mental stress among coronary patients, independently of clinical status. Given recent studies denoting stress-related blood pressure surges as triggers of dangerous cardiovascular events, exaggerated vasomotor reactions among defensive patients may be of clinical significance.
authors.affiliation: Lown Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ristuccia
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*