In addition to organic and hereditary factors, psychological variations among individuals are also known to play an important role in the etiology of essential arterial hypertension. OBJECTIVE: To investigate in detail the psychological processes possibly involved in the etiology of essential arterial hypertension. METHODS: A group of 20 subjects, all of whom where diagnosed as suffering from essential arterial hypertension, was studied using psychological interviews and the Rorschach Test. The results obtained were compared with those gathered from normal (non-hypertensive) individuals represented by the Rorschach Test for the Brazilian population. RESULTS: In terms of personality structure, the hypertensive group presented signs of subjective and immature mechanics which prevailed over more mature and adult traits. These characteristics lead the patients to emotional withdrawal as a defense inadequate affectivity. CONCLUSION: The blocking of emotional expression, as well as simultaneous anxiety, may affect the autonomic nervous system and lead to periodic transitory hypertensive crises which, with time assume a permanent nature.
Essential arterial hypertension; Psychosomatic - affective emotional condition
