Stress and hypertension in married couples

Abstract

Prevalence and progress of cardiac diseases, including hypertension, can be related with stress. Numerous studies show that interpersonal relationships, also marriages, could be the source of emotional support as well as strong stressor. The feelings of anger, hostility, anxiousness or depression are inseparably related with conflict situation such as marital conflict discussion. It is proved that these factors have an influence on morbidity and mortality rates caused by cardiovascular diseases. There are evidences that married persons are healthier than unmarried people, however marital conflicts are usually related with worse health state. Style of coping with stress in conflict interactions can lead to gender differences in physiological reactions to stress. Physiological relationships between progress of hypertension and personality traits are explained by i.a. excessive cardiovascular reactivity.