Risk for hypertension in female members of multigenerational male-limited alcoholic families.

Cardiovascular hyperreactivity to psychological stress has been implicated as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Recent reports have suggested that male offspring of multigenerational male-limited alcoholic families display cardiovascular hyperreactivity to stress. Data concerning cardiovascular disease in 371 individuals from multigenerational male-limited alcoholic families and other family types of differing risk for alcoholism were subjected to chi 2 analyses. Results indicated a significantly greater incidence of hypertension in female members of multigenerational male-limited alcoholic families as compared to the other family types.