The meaning of stress

Stress
As hypertension is a disease of Westernized, and particularly of urban societies (although large urban/rural differences are not seen much in Europe and the USA), it is tempting to attribute high blood pressure to the stress of modern living.

Certainly, acutely stressful stimuli raise blood pressure and may be more pressor in subjects who have hypertension.

However, there remains considerable doubt as to whether chronic stress raises blood pressure.

Investigation of environmental stress and high blood pressure in population surveys is founded by other social factors, including poverty, dietary fats, calorie, electrolyte and alcohol intake and cigarette smoking.

Studies of various psychological indices, including aggression, neuroticism and introversion, have produced conflicting results.

Many reliable studies have found no clear-cut effect.

In individuals, there is some evidence of a relationship between stress and hypertension.

The type A/type B classification of personality has demonstrated with many exceptions, that type A (stressed) people have higher blood pressure and a relatively higher risk of death than type B people.

However, hypertensive patients may only develop higher stress levels once they have been diagnosed and made to worry about their health.

The term ‘hypertensive personality’ is misleading and may only be an accurate description of people who are called frequently to attend the blood pressure clinic.
The meaning of stress