Contributory Risk Factors for Hypertension in Adolescent Offsprings of Hypertensive Fathers Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown hypertension and its complications to be important causes of hospital admission, morbidity and mortality. The young hypertensive is a significant non-modifiable risk factor cardiovascular diseases especially hyp8ension. A genetic influence and familial blood pressure patterns have been well established and are recognized in adolescents. Family studies have demonstrated that at least 20% to 40% of the blood pressure variance in the population are due to familial factors. Offsprings of hypertensives have higher blood pressure values that track in the upper percentiles than their peers whose parents are normotensive. Parental history of hypertension is known to influence the blood pressure of offsprings. Contributory risk factors such as school stress, the use of caffeine containing drugs, tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol intake, obesity and sedentary lifestyle might contribute to the increase in prevalence of hypertension in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine relationship between blood pressure pa ern and contributory risk factors for hypertension among adolescents whose fathers were hypertensive.

METHODS: The survey employed a descriptive cross-sectional analytical study. The study subjects were adolescent offsprings of hypertensive fathers and the controls were adolescents offsprings of normotensive parents attending Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos. 
A modified WHO STEPS surveillance instruments questionnaire was used to collect data. 

RESULTS: Among the adolescents whose fathers were hypertensives, 45.3% were current drinkers of coffee, and 76.7% were users of caffeine containing drugs while among the controls, 35.1% were drinkers of coffee and 52.8% were current users of caffeine containing drugs (P. value < 0.05). Among adolescents whose fathers were hypertensives, 5.4% were smokers; while non of the adolescents in controls were smoking (P. value < 0.05). 
Among adolescents of hypertensive fathers, 21.1% had a BMI of between 25.0 – 29.9kg/m2 while 16.4% of the controls had a BMI of between 25.0 – 29.9kg/m2. BMI of greater than 30.09kg/m2 was found only in 1.6% of 
controls (P. value < 0.05). 

CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the use of caffeine drugs, alcohol, overweight and school stress were contributory risk factors identified to be associated with the development of hypertension in adolescents.