PSYCHOSOCIAL INFLUENCES ON BLOOD-PRESSURE DURING DAILY-LIFE

Ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring allows frequent non-invasiv e blood pressure (BP) recordings in a variety of settings. Emerging ev idence suggests that ABP is a better predictor of cardiovascular morbi dity than clinic BP. Ambulatory blood pressure is influenced by a vari ety of physical, psychological and behavioral factors that comprise an individual's daily life. The present article reviews psychosocial res earch relating ABP to psychological factors (e.g. Type A behavior patt ern, anger/hostility) and environmental influences (e.g. job strain). Psychological factors and environmental factors alone and in interacti on with each other appear to substantially influence ABP. Interacting physical, psychosocial and behavioral factors that comprise daily life provide unique methodological challenges to ABP research. Methodologi cal considerations (e.g. activity patterns, caffeine and alcohol consu mption) for performing ABP research are discussed. Evidence outlined i n this review suggests that psychosocial factors contribute to ABP lev el. To the extent that psychosocial factors contribute to ABP cardiac disease, it will be important to analyze their effects on underlying d isease processes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.