Acute changes of blood pressure and heart rate induced by a strong earthquake

Ahigh death toll during an earthquake comes not only from injuries related to the destruction of buildings or road accidents but also from sudden death resulting from cardiovascular problems, as clearly shown in reports. The increased rate of cardiovascular mortality during an earthquake has been ascribed to the impact of a major emotional stress on the heart, mediated through an increase in cardiac sympathetic activity, and probably including some other neuroendocrine mechanisms. A rise in blood pressure （BP） and heart rate （HR） may be directly responsible for the increased rate of cardiovascular mortality during an earthquake. Previously published studies about the acute changes of BP and HR used indirect information,