Marital cohesion and ambulatory blood pressure in early hypertension

• Published in: American journal of hypertension 1999-02, Vol.12 (2), p.227-230
• Main Authors: Baker, Brian, Helmers, Karin, O’Kelly, Brian, Sakinofsky, Ian, Abelsohn, Alan, Tobe, Sheldon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; ambulatory; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; blood pressure; Blood Pressure - physiology; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Cardiology. Vascular system; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension - diagnosis; Hypertension - physiopathology; Hypertension - psychology; Male; Marital; Marriage - psychology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Stress, Psychological; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1879-1905; 1941-7225
• DOI: 10.1016/S0895-7061(98)00184-8

One hundred thirty-four men and seventy-one women, unmedicated mild hypertensives, underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABP) and completed standardized questionnaires measuring marital and job stress. Of these, 44.8% had daytime diastolic BP < 90 mm Hg; 96.1% had left ventricular mass index in the normal range (N = 176). Lower marital cohesion (Cohesion, subscale of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale) was related to elevated nighttime ABP ( P ≤ .05) and 24-h diastolic BP ( P < .05). With low Cohesion (N = 83), more reported spousal contact was associated with elevated nighttime ABP ( P < .031). The 7.3% of subjects with very low Cohesion demonstrated approximately 6 mm Hg elevation of all ABP variables, controlling for other significant variables ( P < .05, except for nighttime SBP). This study shows an association between marital cohesion and ABP and suggests that marital factors may have a role in sustaining BP in early hypertension.