Comparison of Cold Pressor Test in Children of Hypertensive and Non Hypertensive Parents

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Hypertension is a chronic condition of concern due to its role in the causation of coronary heart disease, stroke and vascular complications. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cerebrocardiovascular morbidity and mortality Therefore early identification of risk of hypertension would be important to its prevention. The cold pressor test, in which the response of blood pressure to the stimulus of external cold is measured, has been used to identify hyper reactor individuals who might develop hypertension. So the cold pressure test study examines its effectiveness as a predictor of hypertension. METHODS: Fifty healthy subjects (including males and females) from different MBBS batch in age group of 19-24 yrs were recruited and divided into two groups as study group_ with family history of hypertension (FH+) and control group_ without family history of hypertension (FH-). FH+ group had higher basal and supine systolic and diastolic blood pressor (SBP & DBP). RESULTS: During cold pressor test (CPT) the FH+ group showed higher rise of SBP and DBP. The hyper reactors (HR) and norm reactors (NR) were categorized by the criteria of a rise of more than 22 mmHg systolic and 18 mmHg diastolic blood pressure during CPT. The study suggests that identification of hyper reactors in population gives a better indication of potential hypertensive's that have positive family history of hypertension. KEYWORDS: Hypertension, Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, Cold Pressor Test INTRODUCTION:Hypertension is a chronic condition of concern due to its role in the causation of coronary heart disease, stroke and vascular complications. It is one of the major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality which accounts 20-50% of all deaths. Hypertension develops early in life as a result of encounters between stressful environmental factors and genetic predisposition. 1 Sympathetic over activity plays a significant role in development of neurogenic hypertension. 2 Hypertension has been reported to be generally associated with sympathetic overactivity. 3,4,5 The sympathetic response of certain individuals from both normotensive and hypertensive population have been reported to be more pronounced. 6 Again there is dilemma that who among the mild hypertensive eventually developed significant and essential hypertension. 7 There are also many other studies which have shown that hypertension is a major risk factor for cerebrocardiovascular morbidity and mortality Therefore early identification of risk of hypertension would be important to its prevention. The cold pressor test, in which the response of blood pressure to the stimulus of external cold is measured, has been used to identify hyper reactor individuals who might develop hypertension. So the cold pressure test study examines its effectiveness as a predictor of hypertension.