Abstract
Salivary α-amylase (sAA) has been proposed as a marker of autonomic activity, but its association with blood pressure and antihypertensive drugs (AD) is unknown. Basal sAA rhythm was assessed immediately after awakening, 30 min after awakening, 11 am, 3 pm, and 8 pm in 78 older adults. Profiles differed significantly between men and women, with men lacking the typical decrease of sAA in the morning and showing more pronounced alterations throughout the day. A higher total output of sAA was found in individuals not using AD or being hypertensive, and especially pronounced in hypertensive individuals not using AD. These data indicates a difference between normotensives and hypertensives and an association of AD with characteristics of diurnal amylase. Findings highlight the usefulness of sAA as an index of autonomic imbalance in disease, and indicate sAA as a promising candidate to non-invasively study therapeutic treatment effects.