NEW YORK, Oct 11 (Reuters Health) -- A reduced ability to feel pain, known as hypoalgesia, may help predict those at risk for developing hypertension (high blood pressure) long before an increase in blood pressure occurs, according to a report.
In an effort to find a link between a decreased perception of pain and hypertension, Dr. Christopher R. France of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, reviewed past studies of the disorders. His findings are published in the November issue of the journal Psychophysiology.
France suggests that "hypoalgesia may serve as a valuable method of identifying those at greatest risk for... blood pressure elevations."
Individuals with hypertension usually fail to display any symptoms that signal the onset of the condition, but previous research indicated that hypertension usually occurs in conjunction with hypoalgesia. However, whether or not the same mechanism caused both disorders remained unclear.
But according to France, his review reveals that "these studies combine to provide strong support for the notion that hypoalgesia precedes the development of high blood pressure." He concludes that there is a definite link between the two conditions and that a combination of risk factors, including a family history of hypertension, accurately predicts those prone to hypoalgesia.
Although research indicates that dysfunction in similar areas of the brain may cause both disorders, France says the exact mechanism behind them is still unknown. However, convinced of the close link between the disorders, he says that by studying hypoalgesia, we may gain insights into the causes of hypertension.
"Ultimately, decreased pain perception may serve as a behavioral marker of hypertensive risk," France states, suggesting that this information could be used to identify people who would benefit from drug and lifestyle changes aimed at preventing hypertension.
