Effects of blood pressure and blood pressure reactivity on experimental pain in healthy females

Abstract

The study investigated whether the relationship between sex and experimental pain report was explained by blood pressure at rest, or during pain task, or both in healthy, young adult females. Univariate analyses indicated significant positive correlation between baseline systolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure reactivity, and heart rate reactivity , but not baseline diastolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure reactivity, heart rate, weight, height and pain sensitivity. However none of the positively correlated parameters could significantly predict pain threshold or pain tolerance.

Keywords: blood pressure, heart rate, pain, blood pressure reactivity

Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 5(1) 2006: 57-59