Ambulatory Blood Pressure Response to Romantic Partner Interactions and Long-Term Cardiovascular Health Outcomes. Issue 4 (May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cornelius, Talea; Birk, Jeffrey L.; Edmondson, Donald; Schwartz, Joseph E.
• Is Part Of: Psychosomatic medicine. Volume 82:Issue 4(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05
• Subjects: ambulatory blood pressure -- left ventricular mass index -- blood pressure -- romantic relationships -- ABP = ambulatory blood pressure -- BMI = body mass index -- BP = blood pressure -- EMA = ecological momentary assessment -- LVMI = left ventricular mass index -- MHT = Masked Hypertension; Medicine, Psychosomatic -- Periodicals; 616.0805
• DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000793
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3174

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective: Lower blood pressure (BP) during romantic partner interactions may underlie the association between romantic relationships and better long-term cardiovascular health. This secondary analysis examined the effect of momentary ambulatory BP (ABP) response to partner interactions on between-person changes in left ventricular mass index and mean systolic and diastolic BP over time. Methods: Participants were 538 married, working adults (mean [SD] = 46.9 [8.8] years, 56.7% female) with a screening BP of ⩽160/105 mm Hg. Participants completed questionnaires, 24-hour ABP monitoring, and an echocardiogram at waves 1 and 2 (mean [SD] = 6.2 [1.0] years later). Associations between ABP response to partner (versus nonpartner) interactions and cardiovascular outcomes were examined using multilevel structural equation models. Results: Participants with lower diastolic BP during partner interactions at wave 1 had a lesser increase in systolic BP at wave 2 ( B = 1.68, SE = 0.61, p = .006; 9.84 mm Hg differential change in systolic BP for participants at +1/−1 SD diastolic ABP response to partner interactions). Participants with lower diastolic ABP during partner-specific interactions at wave 1 also had a lesser increase in diastolic BP ( B = 0.83, SE = 0.42, p = .045; 4.89 mm Hg differential change in diastolic BP at +1/−1 SD). Systolic ABP response to partner-specific interactions did not predict changes in cardiovascular outcomes; diastolic ABP response did not predict changes in left ventricular mass index. Conclusions: Momentary diastolic ABP response to partner-specific interactions may function as a mechanism underlying the cardioprotective effect of romantic relationships on long-term BP outcomes. Abstract : Supplemental digital content is available in the text.