Ambulatory psychophysiological monitoring of patients with essential hypertension

Abstract

Fifty male patients with primary hypertension (WHO I and II) took part in psychophysiological ambulatory monitoring during three days while they participated in a 4-6 week stationary rehabilitation program. Thus, an extended 48-hour monitoring was performed on the tenth day and another 24-hour monitoring approximately 14 days later. Each 24-hour monitoring comprised a protocol of four standardized behavioral tasks (cold pressor test, active relaxation, reaction time task, and climbing stairs) before the daily routine of various psychotherapeutic and somatic treatments and leisure time activities commenced.