Prevalence of hypertension in schoolgoing children.

OBJECTIVE

To establish norms of blood pressure in children of different age groups, prevalence of hypertension and probable precipitating or aggravating factors.

DESIGN

Cross sectional study.

SETTING

Five thousand school children of Amritsar city.

METHODS

Three readings of blood pressure were recorded. Norms for each year age group from 5-17 years of age were established. Persistently hypertensive children were investigated. Influencing factors like family history of hypertension and obesity were taken into account.

RESULTS

The blood pressure increased with increase in age with a spurt in systolic blood pressure at the age of 12 years in both the sexes. There was no significant differences in the blood pressure of two sexes at various age groups except for systolic blood pressure at 5,6 and 16 years and for diastolic blood pressure at 9 and 13 years. Only 0.46% children were hypertensive. Children with obesity (n = 342) and family history of hypertension (n = 271) had hypertension in 3.5% (n = 12) and 5.9% (n = 16) cases, respectively as compared to other children in which the prevalence was only 0.23% and 0.14%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The norms for determining hypertension in this population were established and it's prevalence was 0.46%. Significant risk factors were obesity and family history of hypertension.