Impact of a family history of hypertension on blood pressure levels during early and late adolescence.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of a family history of hypertension (FHH) on blood pressure levels in japanese rural adolescents. The study population consisted of 458 and 553 subjects, aged 13 and 16 years, respectively. Particular attention was focussed on subjects with a FHH (13 years old, n = 38; 16 years old, n = 46) and those without a FHH (13 years old, n = 83; 16 years old, n = 97). Significant associations were found between FHH and systolic blood pressure for boys and girls at 16 years old and diastolic blood pressure for girls at 16 years old. The impact of a FHH on blood pressure mainly affected systolic blood pressure in late adolescence (16 years of age). In early adolescence (13 years of age), different physical maturation status may have masked the real impact of a FHH on blood pressure.