Abstract
Cholesterol levels and cardiovascular responses to emotionally arousing stimuli were examined in 60 healthy African American males and females. Cardiac output, stroke volume, contractile force, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured as the participants viewed two racially noxious scenes on videotape. Total serum cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and triglycerides were measured within 2 weeks of viewing the scenes. Multiple regression analysis showed that LDL and HDL were significant predictors of blood pressure responses. A correlation analysis revealed that total serum cholesterol and LDL were positively correlated with stroke volume, contractile force, and blood pressure reactivity. A possible relationship among stress, β-adrenergic activity, and nonmetabolized free fatty acids is discussed. These findings suggest that cardiovascular reactivity to stress may be a new risk factor for heart and vascular diseases.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, N. B., McNeilly, M., and Myers, H. (1991). Autonomic reactivity and hypertension in Blacks: A review and proposed model. Ethnic. Dis. 1: 154-170.
Anderson, N. B., McNeilly, M., and Myers, H. (1993). A biopsychosocial mode l of race differences in vascular re activity. In Blascovich, J., and Katkin, E. S. (eds.), Cardiovascular Reactivity to Psychological Stress and Disease, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Burker, A., Fredrikson, M., Rifai, N., Seigel, W., and Blumenthal, J. (1994). Serum lipids, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular responses to stress in men and women with mild hypertension. Behav. Med. 19: 155-161.
Dimsdale, J. E., and Herd, J. A. (1982). Variability of plasma lipids in response to emotional arousal. Psychosom. Med. 4: 413-427.
Dimsdale, J. E., Herd, J. A., and Hartley, L. H. (1983). Epinephrine mediated increases in plasma cholesterol. Psychosom. Med. 45: 227-232.
Friedman, M., Rosenman, R. H., and Carroll, V. (1958). Change s in the serum cholesterol and blood clotting time in men subjected to cyclic variation of occupational stress. Circulation 17: 852-861.
Harrell, J. P., and Clark, V. R. (1985). Cardiac responses to psychological tasks: Impedance cardiographic studies. Biol. Psychol. 20: 261-283.
Johnson, E. H., Collier, P., Nazzaro, P., and Gilbert, D. C. (1992). Psychological and physiological predictors of lipids in black males. J. Behav. Med. 15: 285-298.
Jorgensen, R. S., Nash, J. K., Lasser, N. L., Hymowitz, N., and Langer, A. W. (1988). Heart rate acceleration and its relationship to total serum cholesterol, triglyce rides, and blood pressure reactivity in men with mild hypertension. Psychophysiology 25: 39-44.
Lundberg, U., Fredrikson, M., Wallin, L., Melin, B., and Frankenhaeuser, M. (1989). Blood lipids as related to cardiovascular and neuroendocrine functions under different conditions in healthy males and females. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 33: 381-386.
McCann, B. S., Warnick, G. R., and Knopp, R. H. (1990). Changes in plasma lipids and dietary intake accompanying shifts in perceived workload and stress. Psychosom. Med. 52: 97-108.
Niaura, R., Stoney, C. M., and Herbert, P. N. (1992). Lipids in psychological research: The last decade. Biol. Psychol. 34: 1-43.
Patterson, S., Gottdiener, J., Hecht, G., Vargot, S., and Krantz, D. (1993). Effects of acute mental stress on serum lipids: Mediating effects of plasma volume. Psychosom. Med. 55: 525-532.
Rosenman, R. H. (1993). Relationship of neurogenic and psychological factors to the regulation and variability of serum lipids. Stress Med. 9: 133-140.
Stoney, C. M., and West, S. (1997). Lipids, personality, and stress: Mechanisms and modulators. In Hillbrand, M., and Spitz, R. T. (eds.), Lipids, Health, an d Behavior, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
Stoney, C. M., Matthews, K. A., McDonald, R. H., and Johnson, C. A. (1988). Sex differences in lipid, lipoprotein, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine responses to acute stress. Psychophysiology 25: 645-656.
van Doornen, L. J. P. (1986). Sex differences in physiology reactions to real life stress and their relationship to psychological variables. Psychophysiology 23: 657-662.
Waldstein, S. R., Polefrone, J. M., Bachen, E. A., Muldoon, M. F., Kaplan, J. R., and Manuck, S. F. (1993). Relationship of cardiovascular re activity and anger expression to serum lipid concentrations in healthy young men. J. Psychosom. Res. 37: 249-256.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Clark, V.R., Moore, C.L. & Adams, J.H. Cholesterol Concentrations and Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress in African American College Volunteers. J Behav Med 21, 505–515 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018740511170
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018740511170