HYPERTENSION AS A REACTION PATTERN TO STRESS; SUMMARY OF EXPERIMENTAL DATA ON VARIATIONS IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND RENAL BLOOD FLOW

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Abstract
58 subjects with essential hypertension have been studied from the standpoint of overall reactivity to threats arising out of problems of day-to-day living. Renal blood flow was measured by clearance method in normal and hypertensive subjects before and after lumbodorsal sympathectomy. Detns. were made before, during and after traumatic interviews which dealt with significant personal conflicts. These threats and challenges are metwith an attitude of restrained aggression and cause a vascular reaction characterized by elevation in blood pressure and renal vasoconstriction; both the afferent and efferent arterioles participate in the renal response. Following thoraco-lumbar sympathectomy the renal blood flow is unchanged when the subject is at rest. The arterial pressure continues to show elevation in response to situational threats but the efferent renal arteriolar constriction during such rises is abolished. The constriction of the afferent arterioles persists. The general attitudes, reaction patterns and behavior of hypertensives were found to differ from those of subjects with bronchial asthma.