Wright Caroline E, O'Donnell Katie, Brydon Lena, Wardle Jane, Steptoe Andrew
Psychobiology Group, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, UK.
Int J Psychophysiol. 2007 Mar;63(3):275-82. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2006.11.005. Epub 2007 Jan 17.
Heightened cardiovascular stress responsivity is associated with cardiovascular disease, but the origins of heightened responsivity are unclear. The present study investigated whether disturbances in cardiovascular responsivity were evident in individuals with a family history of cardiovascular disease risk. Data were collected from 60 women and 31 men with an average age of 21.4 years. Family history of cardiovascular disease risk was defined by the presence of coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes or high cholesterol in participants' parents and grandparents; 75 participants had positive, and 16 had negative family histories. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), heart rate and heart rate variability were measured continuously for 5 min periods at baseline, during two mental stress tasks (Stroop and speech task) and at 10-15 min, 25-30 min and 40-45 min post-stress. Individuals with a positive family history exhibited significantly greater diastolic BP reactivity and poorer systolic and diastolic BP recovery from the stressors in comparison with family history negative individuals. In addition, female participants with a positive family history had heightened heart rate and heart rate variability reactivity to stressors. These effects were independent of baseline cardiovascular activity, body mass index, waist to hip ratio and smoking status. Family history of hypertension alone was not associated with stress responsivity. The findings indicate that a family history of cardiovascular disease risk influences stress responsivity which may in turn contribute to risk of future cardiovascular disorders.
心血管应激反应性增强与心血管疾病相关，但反应性增强的根源尚不清楚。本研究调查了有心血管疾病风险家族史的个体是否存在心血管反应性紊乱。研究收集了60名女性和31名男性的数据，他们的平均年龄为21.4岁。心血管疾病风险家族史由参与者的父母和祖父母是否患有冠心病、高血压、糖尿病或高胆固醇来定义；75名参与者有阳性家族史，16名有阴性家族史。在基线、两项心理应激任务（斯特鲁普任务和言语任务）期间以及应激后10 - 15分钟、25 - 30分钟和40 - 45分钟，连续5分钟测量收缩压和舒张压（BP）、心率和心率变异性。与家族史阴性个体相比，家族史阳性个体表现出显著更高的舒张压反应性，以及应激源后收缩压和舒张压恢复较差。此外，家族史阳性的女性参与者对应激源的心率和心率变异性反应性增强。这些影响独立于基线心血管活动、体重指数、腰臀比和吸烟状况。仅高血压家族史与应激反应性无关。研究结果表明，心血管疾病风险家族史会影响应激反应性，这反过来可能会增加未来患心血管疾病的风险。
