J Korean Acad Fam Med.  1997 Jan;18(1):65-77.

Personality characteristics, depression and anxiety for patients with essential hypertension

• Cho GN
• Wang DS
• Kim SS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Majority of hypertension is essential in type, so its clear cue usually is not found, and the patients are tend to be persisted of psychopathy such as emotional tension, depression, anger, anxiety and psychologic conflict, also not to be adapted to stressful event. So we decide to survey the personality characteristics of essential hypertensive patients and factors of psychopathology.
METHODS
Patient group-50 persons(male 23, female 27) are selected in the course of antihypertensive medication, being in or outpatient treatment at the dept. of F.M. or I.M. in Kae-jung, Dae-sung or Jung-ang Hospital from August 1, 1995 to July 31, 1996. Control group 52 persons(male 25, female 27) are selected. Exclusision criteria are any clinical disease hystory, over 140/90mmHg of BP, under 20-year old age or no cooperation. We assessment of the MMPI, BDI and STAI results about both group.
RESULTS
Comparing hypertensive group with normal control group, significantly higher F, Hs, D, Hy, Pd, Pt and Sc scales of MMPI and BDI(p<0.01), and anxiety scale of STAI(p<0.05). There were no significant differences in all scales comparing between both sexs in the hypertensive and control groups, except comparing hypertensive male with hypertensive female in Pt scale(p<0.05) and control female with control male in Hy scale(p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Comparing essential hypertensive group with normal control group, significant higher score was found in scales of Hypochondriasis, Depression, Hysteria, Psychopathic deviate, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia and anxiety. And in the treatment of hypertensive patient with antihypertensive drugs, appropriate additive psychotherapy appears useful in the case of revealing psychopathy.

MeSH Terms

Anger
Antihypertensive Agents
Anxiety*
Cues
Depression*
Female
Humans
Hypertension*
Hypochondriasis
Hysteria
Life Change Events
Male
MMPI
Outpatients
Psychopathology
Psychotherapy
Schizophrenia
Weights and Measures
Young Adult
Antihypertensive Agents