A REPRESSIVE COPING STYLE PROTECTING FROM EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IN LOW-RENIN ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSIVES

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the behavioural cha racteristics and specified subgroups of patients with essential hypert ension. Design and methods: Fifty-four patients were classified into g roups with a high (n = 9), normal (n = 35) or low plasma renin activit y (n = 10), and were compared with 20 normotensive subjects by psychol ogical tests. Standardized tests were used to measure anger expression , defensiveness and the subjects' psychological status (e.g. anxiety, depression). Results: A repressive coping style, defined by a high def ensiveness and low anxiety levels, was found significantly more often in patients with low than in patients with high plasma renin activity and normotensive subjects. The patients with high plasma renin activit y scored significantly higher on suppressed anger, anxiety and interpe rsonal sensitivity than did those with low plasma renin activity. The scores of the normal plasma renin activity group were similar to those of the normotensive group. Conclusions: The results underline that th ere is not one hypertensive 'personality'. Whereas the patients with a high plasma renin activity appear to be more susceptible to emotional conflicts, the patients with low plasma renin activity report low emo tional distress and maintain an apparently well-adjusted facade.