Does the control of negative emotions influence blood pressure control and its variability?

Abstract

The aim was to assess the control of negative emotions in treated patients with hypertension in comparison with normotensive individuals and to evaluate the association between suppression of negative emotions, control of blood pressure (BP) on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and blood pressure variability (BPV). We studied 195 patients (women/men: 89/106); mean age 45.4 ± 15.9 years. All patients had ABPM and completed the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS). The total CECS score and scores for subscales for anger, depression and anxiety were analyzed together with mean BP values from ABPM, and their SD and coefficient of variation as BPV measures. The mean CECS score was 54 ± 12 in all subjects; highest in uncontrolled hypertension 56 ± 11, intermediate 53 ± 12 in controlled hypertension and lowest 48 ± 12 in normotensive subjects. The reference value for the Polish population is 50 ± 11. Significant differences of mean CECS scores among groups were observed (p = 0.0165) also in multivariate analysis. The difference between uncontrolled hypertension and normotension was significant (p = 0.0262). Few significant, weak correlations were observed between CECS score or its subscales and ABPM derivates in all subjects. Conclusion. Suppression of negative emotions may adversely affect BP control in treated hypertensive patients and it should be considered a cause of uncontrolled hypertension.