Acute and Chronic Stress Associations With Blood Pressure: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study on an App-Based Platform.

TitleAcute and Chronic Stress Associations With Blood Pressure: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study on an App-Based Platform.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsMak, HWa, Gordon, AM, Prather, AA, Epel, ES, Mendes, WBerry
JournalPsychosom Med
Volume85
Issue7
Pagination585-595
Date Published2023 Sep 01
ISSN1534-7796
KeywordsAdult, Blood Pressure, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory, Ecological Momentary Assessment, Humans, Hypertension, Mobile Applications
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the within- and between-person associations of acute and chronic stress with blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) using an app-based research platform.

METHODS: We examined data from 31,964 adults (aged 18-90 years) in an app-based ecological momentary assessment study that used a research-validated optic sensor to measure BP.

RESULTS: Within-person associations revealed that moments with (versus without) acute stress exposure were associated with higher systolic (SBP; b = 1.54) and diastolic BP (DBP; b = 0.79) and HR ( b = 1.53; p values < .001). During moments with acute stress exposure, higher acute stress severity than usual was associated with higher SBP ( b = 0.26), DBP ( b = 0.09), and HR ( b = 0.40; p values < .05). During moments without acute stress, higher background stress severity than usual was associated with higher BP and HR (SBP: b = 0.87, DBP: b = 0.51, HR: b = 0.69; p values < .001). Between-person associations showed that individuals with more frequent reports of acute stress exposure or higher chronic stress severity had higher SBP, DBP, and HR ( p values < .05). Between-person chronic stress severity moderated within-person physiological responses to stress such that individuals with higher chronic stress severity had higher average BP and HR levels but showed smaller responses to momentary stress.

CONCLUSIONS: Technological advancements with optic sensors allow for large-scale physiological data collection, which provides a better understanding of how stressors of different timescales and severity contribute to momentary BP and HR in daily life.

DOI10.1097/PSY.0000000000001224
Alternate JournalPsychosom Med
PubMed ID37363963
PubMed Central IDPMC10527536
Grant ListR24 AG048024 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH019391 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States