Coping strategies for stressful situations: effects on Blood Pressure (BP) and Heart Rate (HR) variability

A persistent high arousal can be a risk factor for hypertension, and it can be also affected by the type of coping strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relations of coping strategies on both BP and HR variations, during wake and sleep, in both men and women. 84 subjects (Men/Women=50/34; mean age= 49,2) underwent to an ambulatory monitoring of BP and HR during 24 hours and filled in the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation. Results showed a Gender by Emotional-Coping interaction on both Systolic (p<.02) and Diastolic (p<.005) BP variability, only during sleep: men with high Emotional-Coping have an increase of BP variability during sleep, while women show a decrease of it. A Gender by Situational-Coping interaction on HR variability during sleep (p< .03) showed a decrease of HR variability during sleep in men with a high situational coping and an increase of it in women.