Resting systolic blood pressure, parental history of hypertension, and sensitivity to noxious stimuli.

Increased nociceptive thresholds have been reported in hypertensive rats and humans, and also in normotensive humans at risk for developing hypertension by virtue of elevated resting blood pressure levels or a family history of hypertension. Because risk for hypertension may be more accurately predicted by a combination of risk factors, the present study examined the pain sensitivity of young adult males as a function of resting systolic blood pressure and family history of hypertension. Cold pressor and forearm ischemia tasks were administered in a counterbalanced order. Pain was assessed using numerical rating scales of intensity and unpleasantness during the tasks and the McGill Pain Questionnaire immediately following the tasks. Individuals with a parental history of hypertension obtained significantly lower Pain Rating Index scores on the McGill Pain Questionnaire for both tasks, and also reported significantly lower pain on both numerical rating scales during the ischemic task. No significant relationship was observed between resting systolic blood pressure and measures of pain sensitivity.