PP.22.21] EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE MAY INFLUENCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Objective: The aim of study was to definite if the emotional intelligence (EI) of patients with arterial hypertension (AH) can influence the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy.Design and method: We assessed 70 ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) data of AH patients. ABPM monitor (Spacelabs 90207) was applied after the washout period. We defined daytime period as 8.00–22.00, nighttime – 0.00–6.00, and work period as 11.00–19.00. After ABPM session patients completed the emotional intelligence questionnaire (EmIn) by Lyusin D. We analyzed following EmIn scale scores: I emotion self-awareness; II management of one's own emotions; III control of emotional expression; IV understanding others’ emotions; V management of others’ emotions. The patients were randomized to treatment antihypertensive drugs. Then the patients were randomized to the control and intervention groups. In the control group patients were given standard recommendations for cardiovascular disease patients. In the intervention group patients were given standard recommendations and advice on lifestyle change according to the results of the EmIn questionnaire. The patients were treated with antihypertensive drugs in average therapeutic doses for 3 weeks (amlodipine, metoprolol, enalapril, telmisartan). In the absence of the therapy effectiveness, the patients began to treatment with the combined therapy, but these data were not included in the analysis. At the end of the three-week therapy was performed EmIn test and ABPM. Results: The mean daytime BP was (M ± SD): systolic (SBP) - 142.1 ± 14.5; diastolic (DBP) - 90.1 ± 10.9 mm Hg. In each group there were 35 patients who were comparable in baseline BP, sex, age, EmIn characteristics, body mass index and drugs doses. We found that treatment with average therapeutic doses of antihypertensive drugs is not effective (table 1) in the control group. However, in the intervention group, the same doses of the drug leads to the significant BP reduction of workplace and daytime BP levels. Night BP indices in this patients did not significantly decreased (table 2). Conclusions: Thus, lifestyle changes, not only in according to conventional recommendations for cardiovascular patients, but also with regard of test results of emotional intelligence can enhance the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy.