On-call workday cardiovascular response. A study of medical residents.

Objective To compare 24 h blood pressure changes in medical residents when on cal! with those of a normal workday. Design Ambulatory blood pressure was recorded in 30 normotensive residents (14 men and 16 women) aged 27± 2 years, during on-call workdays (24 h in the oospital) and then compared with values obtained during a normal 8 h workday. Ambulatory blood pressure was .ecorded every 15 min during the day (0700-2200 h) and every 20 min during the night (2200-0700 h). Results The normal workday 24 h ambulatory mean olood pressui e rose Irorn 85.0 mmHg to the on-call Mean blood pressure of 88.9 mmHg (P< 0.001). During ~~p. daytirne, ambulatory systolic and diastoli c blood cressures rose by 4.6 mmHg (P < 0.001) and 2.7 mmHg 0< 0.001), respectively. During the night-t ime period, systolic and diastolic blood pressures rose by 5.4 mmHg j D < 0.01) and 4.6 mmHg (P< 0.01 l. respectively. The nocturnal systolic and diastolic blood pressure elevation was not related to gender, body mass index, waist : hip ratio, physical exercise or smoking habits .