Psychosomatic reactions and hypertension in stress conditions

Abstract

Introduction: Psychosomatic diseases are diseases of organs, partialy induced by mental and somatic reactions to prolonged stress. Emotional factors probably play the key role in origin of psychosomatic diseases. Objective: The aim is to establish whether there is a difference in the behavior and the expression of psychosomatic reactions to stress in healthy and hypertensive population, and to prove or reject hypothesis that hypertension is associated with psychosomatic diseases. Method: The respondents were given the original questionnaire with closed questions about ways of reaction in stressful situations. Majority of emotions included fear and withdrawal. Results: Statistical analysis was conducted on a sample of 100 patients who were divided into two groups: patients with hypertension (HTA)and control group. Research hypothesis were formed: H0:NTA is not related to psychosomatic diseases; HI: HTA is related to psychosomatic diseases. As the achieved χ2 value of 44.72 is higher than critical value of χ2=24.996, with 15 degrees of freedom and level of confidence p=0.05, the zero hypothesis must be rejected and alternative hypothesis must be accepted with p>0,05 confidence value, which leads to conclusion that there is connection between HTA and psychosomatic diseases. Secondary hipothesis is also tested: H0:HTA and withdrawal reactions are not connected; H1:HTA and withdrawal reactions are connected. As the achieved χ2 value equals 29.99 is higher than critical value χ2=3.841, with 1 degree of freedom and level of confidence p=0.05, the zero hypothesis must be excluded and alternative hypothesis must be accepted with p<0.05 margin of error and certainty of p>95% which leads to conclusion that there is connection between HTA and withdrawal reactions. Conclusion: Modern science of psychosomatic diseases suggests one of the integrative models to explain psyshophysiological mechanisms causing HTA: this model includes all findings of classic and psychosomatic medical science, in attempt to explain the dynamic chain of changes that leads to final result: high blood pressure.