Blacks and whites differ in responses, but not tolerance, to orthostatic stress

Abstract.

This study tested the hypothesis that normotensive black males differ from white males in their autonomic and cardiovascular responses to severe orthostatic stress. College age men (9 blacks, 9 whites) underwent graded lower body negative pressure (LBNP; 10 mmHg steps of 6 min each) to either –100 mmHg or presyncope. LBNP tolerance between the two groups did not differ (LBNP tolerance index: 378 ± 34 vs 404 ± 19mmHg·min, blacks vs whites). Responses to LBNP common to all subjects (≤ –40 mmHg), including spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (sequence technique), did not differ between groups except whites experienced an earlier and more pronounced decline in total peripheral conductance than blacks (P < 0.01). At test termination, the heart rate variability measure of low frequency/high frequency ratio increased more in blacks than whites (5.2 ± 1.1 vs 2.7 ± 0.7 units; P < 0.05) while cardiac output and total peripheral conductance were lower in whites (both P < 0.05). These data suggest that blacks and whites have similar LBNP tolerances. They maintain blood pressure equally well when exposed to graded LBNP to presyncope, yet they differ in their mechanisms for doing so.