RESUMO
We compared parameters of 24-hour blood pressure (BP) monitoring during off duty free day and 24-hours on duty in male surgeons (n=76) and internists (n=53) aged 30 - 60 years. Arterial hypertension (AH) was diagnosed in 17.1 and 13.2% of surgeons and internists, respectively (p > 0.05). During on duty 24-hour BP monitoring surgeons without AH had higher nocturnal systolic and both nocturnal and diurnal diastolic BP than internists without AH. Moreover surgeons significantly more often had non-dipper type of systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP) curve. In internists only mean nocturnal SBP differed between on and off duty days. Surgeons had higher levels of mean SBP and DBP, higher values of nocturnal indexes of time and SBP and DBP measurements. Percent of subjects with non-dipper 24-hour SBP and DBP rhythms during on duty day was higher among surgeons. Possibly high mortality and rate of vascular catastrophes in surgeons are to some extent related to the presence of stress induced cardiovascular phenomena described above.
