title: [Early cardiovascular changes in young people with normal and normal-high blood pressure].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased cardiac mass, as well as reduced arterial distensibility, are well recognised independent cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the existence of early structural and/or functional alterations of the left ventricle (LV) and the aortic root in young people with optimal (O), normal (N) or normal-high (HN) blood pressure (BP).
  
  
  METHODS
  BP was recorded, and LV mass (LVM), LV function, and aortic distensibility (AD) were evaluated by echocardiogram in medical students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 754 students (271 males; 20.47±1.35 years old). According to their BP, 54% were classified as O, 32% N, and 14% HN. LVM index was higher in N (30.9±0.44g/m(2.7)), and HN (31.26±0.73g/m(2.7)) than O (28.39±0.29g/m(2.7), P<.01). Corrected mean ventricular shortening was similar between O (99.8±0.8%) and N (99.2±1.1%, ns), but smaller in HN (95.4±1.9%, P<.05). The e'/a' ratio used to evaluate LV diastolic function, was higher in O (2.18±0.03) compared to HN (2.03±0.06, P<.03). AD was lower in HN (1.41±0.05mmHg/cm(3)/m(2)) compared to N (1.22±0.02mmHg/cm(3)/m(2), P<.01) and O (1.14±0.01mmHg/cm(3)/m(2), P<.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Those young individuals with an N and HN BP showed an increased LVM index with decreased LV function and AD; evidence that would probably allow us to early identify non-hypertensive subjects with an increased cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Ennis
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Pinilla
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET, La Plata, Argentina. Electronic address: emescu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Escudero
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D004548:Elasticity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arterial distensibility; Distensibilidad arterial; High-normal blood pressure; Jóvenes; Left ventricular mass; Masa ventricular izquierda; Normal blood pressure; Presión arterial normal; Presión arterial normal alta; Young population