Hypertension incidence is predicted by high levels of hopelessness in Finnish men

Recent studies have reported that hopelessness is an important factor in ca rdiovascular morbidity and mortality, including ischemic heart disease, acu te myocardial infarction, and atherosclerotic progression. This study exami ned the relationship between hopelessness and incident hypertension in a po pulation-based sample of 616 initially normotensive, middle-aged men from e astern Finland, an area with high rates of cardiovascular disease. Particip ants completed a medical examination and a series of psychological question naires at baseline and at the 4-year follow-up. Hopelessness was measured b y 2 items assessing negative expectancy about the future and one's goals. A logistic regression model with adjustments for age, body mass index, basel ine resting blood pressure, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption , education, parental history of hypertension, and self-reported depressive symptoms revealed that men reporting high levels of hopelessness at baseli ne were 3 times more Likely to become hypertensive (systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 165 mm Hg and/or a diastolic blood pressure great er than or equal to 95 mm Hg or confirmed use of antihypertensive medicatio n) in the intervening 4 years than men who were not hopeless (odds ratio, 3 .22; 95% confidence interval, 1.56, 6.67). Men reporting moderate levels of hopelessness were not at a significantly increased risk of hypertension (o dds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.79, 2.07), This is the first st udy to identify a significant relationship between hopelessness and inciden t hypertension. Research is needed to explore the neuroendocrine and centra l nervous system mechanisms underlying this association.