OBJECTIVE: This study intended to evaluate blood pressure monitoring (BPM) data in young hypertensive offspring. METHODS: We evaluated 31 students, of ages ranging from 17 to 25 years, whose parents (one or both) were being treated for hypertension (group I) and 30 normotensive subjects, whose parents were not hypertensive (group II). Epidemiological data were collected from all participants and the blood pressure (BP) measurements obtained by BPM were compared. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between both groups when mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=0.195) and mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p=0.958); SBP decrease (p=0.61) and DBP decrease (p=0.289); SBP variability (p=0.24) and DBP variability (p=0.497) were compared. There were statistical differences, when pulse pressures (42.74 mmHg in group I and 45.53 in group II) and in the minimum SBP during the awake period (85.00 mmHg in group I and 90.27 mmHg in group II, p=0.048) were compared. Both parameters were higher in the group whose parents were not hypertensive individuals. CONCLUSION: In this population, there were statistical differences in pulse pressure and in minimum SBP during the awake period, being higher in the group whose parents were not hypertensive. There were no differences between the two groups in the other parameters analyzed.
Hypertension; Inheritance patterns; Blood pressure
