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Objective

This study examined the within-and between-person associations of acute and chronic stress with blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) using an app-based research platform.

Methods

We examined data from 31,964 adults (aged 18–90 years) in an app-based ecological momentary assessment study that used a research-validated optic sensor to measure BP.

Results

Within-person associations revealed that moments with (versus without) acute stress exposure were associated with higher systolic (SBP; b= 1.54) and diastolic BP (DBP; b= 0.79) and HR (b= 1.53; p values<. 001). During moments with acute stress exposure, higher acute stress severity than usual was associated with higher SBP (b= 0.26), DBP (b= 0.09), and HR (b= 0.40; p values<. 05). During moments without acute stress, higher background stress severity than usual was associated with higher BP and HR (SBP: b= 0.87, DBP: b= 0.51 …