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Psychometric screening for hypertension
ABSTRACTS:
A-65 THE CONTROL OF DIASTOLIC MUSCLE TENSION S. Thomas Elder, Robert D. McAfee
University
HIGH
BLOOD
PRESSURE
65
CONTROL
BLOOD PRESSURE WITH AND WITHOUT of
New Orleans;
Elizabeth
A. Verzwyvelt;
The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to attempt to replicate a previous study in which subjects were trained to produce bi-directional changes in diastolic BP as great as 10% to 15% of baseline, and (2) to determine whether they could acquire such a BP response under conditions of induced muscle tension. A 2 by 3 design was used in which 24 normotensive volunteer college students were assigned randomly to one of two training procedures (feedback vs. no feedback), and one of three muscular tension conditions (Control, Medium, High). Blood pressure was recorded, tracked, and conditioned using a custommade device which was designed, constructed, and tested in our laboratory. The basic procedure involved wrapping a cuff around each arm of the subject and monitoring BP on a nearly continuous basis by alternately inflating the two cuffs for periods of 100 sec. each and tracking moment-to-moment fluctuations in BP by readjusting cuff pressure every 3-4 heartbeats. The results showed that subjects were able to raise their BP in the absence of induced tension but not when tension was present. However, the same subjects learned to lower their BP with and without induced tension, although their performance under the tension condition was only marginally significant. It was clear from these data that in the absence of induced tension, subjects did, in fact, learn to raise and lower their BP. Interpretation of these and other related data focused on the voluntary/involuntary nature of the autonomic nervous system and the efficacy of instrumental conditioning as a clinical method for controlling essential hypertension. A-66
PSYCHOMETRICSCREENINGFOR HYPERTENSION Merrill F. Elias and W. Gibson Wood, Department of Psychology, University of Maine at Orono, Orono, Maine In order to develop a short psychometric battery for use as an adjunct to hypertensive screening programs, the Cornell Medical Index and tests of anxiety and depression were administered to hypertensive and normotensive patients (age range 23 to 62 years) undergoing intensive screening at the SUNYUpstate Medical Center hypertension clinic. Only patients free from medical symptoms other than essential hypertension (mean diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 95 mmHg) were tested. Multivariate analyses of variance and item analyses were performed. As predicted, hypertensives and normotensives differed significantly on specific items reflecting anxiety, sensitivity, anger, tension, and cardiovascular symptoms, skin, digestive tract functions, headaches, dizziness, fainting, genitourinary symptoms, fatigability, Depression items did not discriminate. sleep, and drinking patterns. These findings hold under cross validation and suggest that a short valid psychometric screening device can be developed and employed as a useful adjunct to blood pressure measurements and physical examination.
A-65 THE CONTROL OF DIASTOLIC MUSCLE TENSION S. Thomas Elder, Robert D. McAfee
University
HIGH
BLOOD
PRESSURE
65
CONTROL
BLOOD PRESSURE WITH AND WITHOUT of
New Orleans;
Elizabeth
A. Verzwyvelt;
The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to attempt to replicate a previous study in which subjects were trained to produce bi-directional changes in diastolic BP as great as 10% to 15% of baseline, and (2) to determine whether they could acquire such a BP response under conditions of induced muscle tension. A 2 by 3 design was used in which 24 normotensive volunteer college students were assigned randomly to one of two training procedures (feedback vs. no feedback), and one of three muscular tension conditions (Control, Medium, High). Blood pressure was recorded, tracked, and conditioned using a custommade device which was designed, constructed, and tested in our laboratory. The basic procedure involved wrapping a cuff around each arm of the subject and monitoring BP on a nearly continuous basis by alternately inflating the two cuffs for periods of 100 sec. each and tracking moment-to-moment fluctuations in BP by readjusting cuff pressure every 3-4 heartbeats. The results showed that subjects were able to raise their BP in the absence of induced tension but not when tension was present. However, the same subjects learned to lower their BP with and without induced tension, although their performance under the tension condition was only marginally significant. It was clear from these data that in the absence of induced tension, subjects did, in fact, learn to raise and lower their BP. Interpretation of these and other related data focused on the voluntary/involuntary nature of the autonomic nervous system and the efficacy of instrumental conditioning as a clinical method for controlling essential hypertension. A-66
PSYCHOMETRICSCREENINGFOR HYPERTENSION Merrill F. Elias and W. Gibson Wood, Department of Psychology, University of Maine at Orono, Orono, Maine In order to develop a short psychometric battery for use as an adjunct to hypertensive screening programs, the Cornell Medical Index and tests of anxiety and depression were administered to hypertensive and normotensive patients (age range 23 to 62 years) undergoing intensive screening at the SUNYUpstate Medical Center hypertension clinic. Only patients free from medical symptoms other than essential hypertension (mean diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 95 mmHg) were tested. Multivariate analyses of variance and item analyses were performed. As predicted, hypertensives and normotensives differed significantly on specific items reflecting anxiety, sensitivity, anger, tension, and cardiovascular symptoms, skin, digestive tract functions, headaches, dizziness, fainting, genitourinary symptoms, fatigability, Depression items did not discriminate. sleep, and drinking patterns. These findings hold under cross validation and suggest that a short valid psychometric screening device can be developed and employed as a useful adjunct to blood pressure measurements and physical examination.