Epidemiological data of 15-18 year adolescents and the prevalence of hypertension in Debrecen. The Debrecen Hypertension Study]

To perform a blood pressure screening program in Debrecen secondary school students according to international guidelines. To obtain epidemiological data about factors influencing adolescent blood pressure using a questionnaire. To repeat the blood pressure measurements in case of elevated systolic and/or diastolic readings, and to determinate the prevalence of adolescent hypertension in Debrecen.All high school attending students in Debrecen (n = 10359) participated in the study. Measurements were obtained by a validated, automated, digital OMRON M4 device.Gender distribution was nearly equal in our sample: 50.64% male, 49.36% female. The mean age was 16.55 +/- 0.99 years. Boys were 10 cm taller and 10 kg heavier on average than girls. Hypertension in family history was prevalent in 10.8% of mothers and in 11.7% of fathers. Every fifth adolescent (19.7%) was a regularly smoker, while 12.2% of the studied population drank alcohol in a weekly basis. Leisure time sporting activity was characteristic only for 31.9%, while 11.2% of the young people usually felt stress and 15.1% regularly salted their food. Low birth weight (< 2500 gram) was recorded in 6.7% of the adolescents. Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure exceeded the 90th percentile for the age, gender and height specific subgroups in 1614 cases. Repeated measurements were performed in 1461 cases on two different occasions. Averaging the 3 x 3 measurements, hypertension was confirmed in 216 cases. The prevalence of the disease in this population was 2.53%.The recognition, treatment and follow-up of hypertension among adolescent population, is of immense importance.