Abstract
Background: Hypertension is an important worldwide public health challenge because of its high frequency and concomitant risks of cardiovascular and kidney disease. The cold pressor test (CPT) as a tool to measure cardiovascular reactivity, specifically blood pressure (BP) changes, in response to stress.

Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to see the effect CPT on hypertensives and age and gender-matched normotensive (NT) individuals.

Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in 60 individuals aged between 30 and 60 years consisting of 30 known cases of hypertension and 30 age and gender-matched normotensive (NT) from outpatient department of Mc Gann Hospital, Shimoga. Keeping CPT as the stimulus, the response was recorded in all the individuals and they were divided into normoreactors and hyperreactors. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 21.

Results: Hypertensives showed a significantly higher increase in systolic and diastolic BP and greater number of hyperreactors (P > 0.01) when compared to the NT for the CPT.

Conclusion: CPT has been used for the diagnosis of cardiovascular reactivity in NT and hypertensive individuals and the responses to CPT may help identify NT candidates at future risk of suffering from hypertensive disease. It also helps implement early preventive measures to halt the progression to sustained hypertension developing at a future date.

Key words: Cold Pressor Test; Hypertensives; Normotensives