Vasomotor Response of Non-Hypertensive Individuals to a Standard Cold Stimulus

Abstract

Hines and Brown1 have described a standard test for the study of vasomotor reactions based on the responses of the blood pressure to a cold stimulus. They are of the opinion that “excessive” responses to this test indicate a hypersensitive sympathetic nervous system. Assuming that the principal abnormality in essential hypertension is a hypersensitive sympathetic nervous mechanism, they have considered non-hypertensive individuals with “excessive” responses potential candidates for hypertension. They suggest that essential hypertension develops only in individuals manifesting “excessive” responses; that these abnormal responses depend upon an hereditary factor, and that they appear early in life. If these theories are correct, it is apparent that in advanced age periods where actual essential hypertension has already developed in many of the potential hypertensives, there should be a lower percentage of “excessive” responses in the individuals of the same age period with normal blood pressures. Also, it w...