title: Influence of familial hypertension on blood pressure during adolescence.
abstract: The relationships of familial hypertension and height, weight, and blood pressure (BP) were studied in two adolescent populations. Subjects having hypertensive first-degree relatives were matched to control subjects without such a family history. The group with familial hypertension demonstrated a slightly higher average BP but also had a greater mean body weight and ponderal index than the control group. After controlling for weight, male but not female subjects with a family history of hypertension had a greater prevalence of elevated BP and higher average pressures than controls. The factors of above-average weight and familial hypertension appear to interact so as to produce an excessive prevalence of elevated BP. These trends suggest that teenagers with hypertensive first-degree relatives constitute a special risk group that should be closely monitored.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male