Effects of Examination Stress on Plasma Levels of Cortisol And Hypertension

The accomplished studies show that stress can cause changes in biochemical and physiological parameters in healthy people. The present study was a cross sectional study conducted on 50 healthy university students selected randomly. Serum and urinary free cortisol was measured by immunoassay a month (control) before the examinations. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 11.5. The significance of differences was considered P<0.05. The average of systolic blood diastolic blood pressures in the control group were 110.70±9.25 (mmHg), 73±8.97 (mmHg), respectively, while in the case group, 30 minutes prior to the examinations, they were 120.20±11.29 (mmHg), and 77.6±8.76 (mmHg), but immediately after the exams 108.80±9.97 (mmHg), 73.2±6.39 (mmHg). There was a statistical significance between the three groups. Also the average of serum and urinary cortisol concentrations in the control group was 151.83±48.86 (), 133.03±47.1 (), 30 minutes prior to examination 201.13±62.46 (), 175.10±44.99 () and immediately after the examinations 141.48 ±49.25 (), 165.98±46.08 () respectively. There was also a statistical significance among the three groups.