Patterns of Blood Pressure and Stress: A Descriptive Report among Anesthesiology Residents Institution

Abstract

Background There has been an increase in health problems among physicians due to low primary care maintenance, noncompliance with recommendations for physical activity and balanced eating practices, high levels of caffeine intake, and reduced amount of sleep. We hypothesize that physical health, specifically blood pressure (BP) control, is suboptimal among anesthesiology residents. MethodsThe purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of hypertension and stress among an anesthesiology resident population, and attempt to correlate possible hypertension and increased stress among residents with life and work environment factors. All University of Miami anesthesiology residents in the year 2016 were invited to participate. Blood pressures were taken and anonymous surveys, including demographic and lifestyle questions, were administered. ResultsOf 85 invited residents, 80 (92%) participated. 18 (22.50%) residents had blood pressures within the normal range. Twenty (25.00%) residents were hypertensive and 42 (52.50%) were pre-hypertensive. Males exhibited higher systolic blood pressures than females (p<0.0001). The mean Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) for all residents was 17.16 ± 7.2. Fifty-four (67.50%) residents scored a PSS above 13, indicating stress levels greater than the national average. Thirty-three (41.25%) residents scored above 20, indicating the presence of severe stress. Females were more likely than males to have stress (p=0.0314). Residents sleeping less than 6 hours per night were more likely to have stress (p=0.0158). Residents reporting more than one overnight call per week were also more likely to have stress (p=0.013). ConclusionsOur study showed 75% of residents have hypertensive disease and 68% of residents exhibit clinically significant stress. These findings emphasize the need for greater attention to personal health and well-being.65 hours per week 1, 2 . We hypothesize that physical health, specifically blood pressure (BP) control, is suboptimal among anesthesiology residents. Anesthesiology residents represent a unique population group in their third to fourth decade of life, often involved in high-intensity, fast-paced, critical medical care of severely ill patients on a daily basis.Many factors during residency, such as long work hours, personal life events, and difficulty accessing medical care may impede the ability of physicians to care for themselves physically and emotionally.