Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: smart on 30/11/2016 22:37:30

Title: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: smart on 30/11/2016 22:37:30: Is it possible that anxiety and stress induce high blood pressure?
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: exothermic on 01/12/2016 00:16:35: Quote from: tkadm30 on 30/11/2016 22:37:30
Is it possible that anxiety and stress induce high blood pressure?

Most definitely however, I'm fairly certain the effects are primarily transient vs pathologic.

Then again I've never really looked through the literature.
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: chris on 01/12/2016 08:01:33: Chronic stress is certainly linked to hypertension and is pathological.
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: exothermic on 01/12/2016 16:08:10: Quote from: chris on 01/12/2016 08:01:33
Chronic stress is certainly linked to hypertension and is pathological.

Really?

So chronic stress = sustained elevations in BP = hypertension???

Cite your references, because last I checked.... we all experience it, and we certainly don't all have hypertension.

It's interindividual psychosocial abnormalities in the presence of chronic stress that causes sustained alterations in BP dynamics.

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Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: syhprum on 01/12/2016 16:25:46: "we certainly don't all have hypertension".
The goal posts as to what defines hypertension are constantly lowered so that most people do have hypertension, I think there is big money made selling pills to the NHS.
I take amlodipine and suffer swollen legs but for the memory of my father of dying of stroke at 67 I would gladly give them up
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: exothermic on 01/12/2016 16:37:46: Quote from: syhprum on 01/12/2016 16:25:46
The goal posts as to what defines hypertension are constantly lowered so that most people do have hypertension

Well here in the US, any reading consistently exceeding 140 over 90 mm hg is considered stage 1 hypertension. It's been this way for years, so I'm not sure how your comment applies.
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: syhprum on 01/12/2016 18:09:59: Until 29/07/2014 the figure chosen in the UK was 160/100 then it was reduced to 140/90 I don't know if has been reduced since as I have a job to make this reading
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: exothermic on 01/12/2016 18:23:18: Quote from: syhprum on 01/12/2016 18:09:59
Until 29/07/2014 the figure chosen in the UK was 160/100

That is disgusting - my condolences.

The risk of stroke drops exponentially by maintaining a BP below 140 over 90 mm hg
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: smart on 01/12/2016 20:07:27: Quote from: exothermic on 01/12/2016 16:08:10
It's interindividual psychosocial abnormalities in the presence of chronic stress that causes sustained alterations in BP dynamics.

So anxiety and chronic stress are not pathological factors in hypertension and cardiovascular diseases?
Title: Re: Is anxiety causing hypertension?
Post by: exothermic on 01/12/2016 20:37:27: Quote from: tkadm30 on 01/12/2016 20:07:27
So anxiety and chronic stress are not pathological factors in hypertension and cardiovascular diseases?

Stress - be it chronic or transient is individually-perceived.

What is defined as a stressful encounter for one individual, could be interpreted as a comforting encounter for another.

Now if you take someone with a psychosocial abnormality, then yes - chronic stress will likely end up playing a pathogenic role.

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