Cardiovascular reactivity, hostility, and family history of hypertension

This study was conducted to evaluate the relations between cardiovascular reactivity and two types of hostility, namely, overt expression of hostility in contrast to the covert experience of hostility. Diastolic blood pressure reactivity was associated with not overtly expressing hostility. For persons with a parental history of hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity was associated with low scores on the covert hostility measure of irritability, while for persons without a parental history of hypertension, SBP reactivity was associated with high scores for irritability. The results are discussed in light of research in the area of cardiovascular reactivity and stress-related cardiovascular disease.