Hypertension: The Chicken or the Egg?

[Doug Taylor]

Dr. Forred-

Just a semi-trivial question that doesn't involve me directly...

I know a couple who both have hypertension and have it under control by medication.

Seems like a weird coincidence. The female is ectomorphic and the male is endomorphic. They tend to fly off the handle with, in my unscientific estimation is the smallest amount of stress.

Does the couples personality traits aggravate hypertension, or does the hypertension cause the personality traits?

[My Flight Surgeon]

Probably the former. Stress can cause blood pressure to rise. We see this clinically if we place a person's hand in a bucket of ice water - blood pressure goes up with the stress induced by the cold.

[Doug Taylor]

Good to know, thanks! His untreated systolic reading was over 200. Holy cow!