High Blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors in students of the national university of Asunción-Paraguay.

Abstract

High blood pressure is a category of blood pressure, poorly studied in young adults and is associated with other cardiovascular risk factors. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors in university students of the National University of Asunción-Paraguay. Cross-sectional study in first-year university students of careers related to health at the National University of Asunción. High blood pressure was considered at a systolic blood pressure of 120-129 mmHg and / or diastolic blood pressure of ?80 mmHg. The anthropometric, lipid and metabolic variables were measured and the smoking and alcohol habit were determined. 284 university students were included in the analysis (mean age [± SD] 19.4 ± 2.1 years, 73.2% were women). The overall prevalence of high blood pressure was 25.5%; (95% CI: 20.5-30.5%) (Men 40%, Women 29%). High blood pressure was associated with increased abdominal circumference (OR: 1.031, 95% CI: 1.005-1.058, p = 0.024); low HDL-C (OR: 1.355, 95% CI 1.054-1.743, p = 0.018); obesity, OR: 2,124; 95% CI: 1.334-3.941; p = 0.007) and DM2 (OR: 4.431, 95% CI: 3,642-7,963, p = <0.001). The prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors more frequent were alcohol consumption, overweight and obesity. More than 70% of college students have one or more cardiovascular risk factors. high prevalence of high blood pressure and is associated with other cardiovascular risk factors.