Mental Stress and Hypertension

Abstract

There is an association between hypertension, modern life-style and exposition to stress factors. Both recurrent acute and chronic stress may play a role in development of hypertension in susceptible individuals. In human population one group displays hyper-reactive sympathetic response to stress. This group is predisposed to development of cardio-vascular diseases such as hypertension. To prevent exaggerated blood pressure responses to mental stress, pharmacological and not pharmacological interventions may be effective.