Background: The prevalence of pediatric arterial hypertension (AHT) is approximately 1% to 2%. In the last tenyears, mean blood pressure levels (BP) have raised due to obesity and changes in lifestyles. Family history (FH) of AHT is a risk factor to develop AHT in children.
Aim: To assess blood pressure, cardiovascular risk factors and family history in healthy children of Santiago.
Material and methods: Blood pressure, family history of AHT, birth weight (BW), gestational age, puberal stage, blood glucose, serum lipids and ultrasensitive Reactive C Protein (usCRP) were analyzed, using data from a study of early markers of atherosclerosis in children.
Results: Data of 112 children aged between 6-12 years was analyzed. Hypertension (BP >percentile 95) was detected in 2.7% and pre hypertension (BP in percentiles 90-95) in 3.6% of the sample. Children with abnormal BP had higher levels of usCRP (p <0.05) and a non significant tendency towards a higher body mass index. All hypertensive and one pre hypertensive children had FH of AHT. Eleven percent of parents, had high blood pressure. In no children, both parents were hypertensive. Children with a family history of hypertension had higher concentrations of total serum cholesterol (p <0.05).
Conclusions: The abnormal prevalence of AHT found in this study is comparable to other studies. FH associated to higher levels of BP in children. Children with abnormal BP had a higher subclinical level of inflammation .