Family History of Hypertension and Arterial Elasticity Characteristics in Healthy Young People

Abstract

Family history of hypertension is a primary predictor of high blood pressure (BP). This study attempted to determine whether there is a gradual increase in BP and an early change in arterial elasticity characteristics between young healthy individuals with or without a family history of hypertension and whether or not this increase is apparent in males as well as in females. A total of 270 normotensive healthy individuals (112 men and 158 women, aged 16 to 30 years) with or without a family history of hypertension, participated in conventional BP measurement and completed questionnaires covering basic information and a detailed family history of cardiovascular disease. Large arterial (capacitive) compliance (C1) and small arterial (oscillatory or reflective) compliance (C2) were derived from HDI/PulseWave CR-2000 (Hypertension Diagnostics, Minneapolis, USA). Based on family history information about parents and grandparents, three groups were formed: subjects with at least one hypertensive parent (group A), subjects with only hypertensive grandparents (group B), and subjects with normotensive parents and grandparents (group C). Men in group A had lower C1 and C2 along with higher systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and heart rate than men in group C. Those in group B had intermediate C1, C2 and BP levels. C1 had a linear relationship with SBP, DBP, and heart rate. In the logistic regression model of family history of hypertension, C2 was lower in young normotensive males with parental hypertension (B = -0.315, exp B = 0.73, p = 0.03), independently of SBP, DBP, and heart rate. Among females, subjects with parental hypertension had higher systolic, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure (p < 0.05), and there were no significant differences in C1 and C2 between those with and those without parental hypertension. In conclusion, compared with normotensive offspring of normotensive parents, normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents had increased BP and impaired arterial properties, namely large and small arterial compliance as measured noninvasively by HDI. These differences were exhibited conspicuously in men but not in women. Alteration in arterial function in young non-hypertensive subjects may be a risk factor for hypertension and may contribute to the progression to hypertension later in life.