Aortic pulse wave velocity in young normotensives with a family history ofhypertension

Objective To assess the effect of selected clinical and biochemical paramet ers, with particular consideration of familial hypertension, on the pulse w ave velocity (PWV) in young normotensives. Subjects and methods Seventy voluntary students were enrolled (mean age 22. 3 +/- 2.1 years), 39 men and 31 women, with normal blood pressure. A histor y was obtained with respect to diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease, lipid disorders and arterial hypertension in the family. The subjects were subdivided into two groups: those with (n = 33) and without (n = 37) a fami ly history of arterial hypertension, and blood pressure and heart rate were measured three times and total cholesterol and its subfractions determined in plasma. The carotid to femoral PWV was measured using an automatic comp uterized recorder and analysed by the Complior(R) program, Results The subjects with a family history of arterial hypertension had hig her blood pressure levels (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse pre ssure and mean arterial pressure), as well as mean body mass index and low- density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The PWV in this group did not differ from that in the subjects without a family history of arterial hypertensio n (9.69 +/- 2.8 versus 9.32 +/- 2.0). However, the PWV was significantly hi gher in males than females (10.62 +/- 2.2 versus 7.86 +/- 1.13, P < 0.0001) and there was a significant positive correlation between male gender and P WV. Conclusions Familiar arterial hypertension does not significantly affect ao rtic stiffness in terms of PWV. Male gender in this population of young hea lthy subjects is one of the most important factors associated with central arterial stiffness. J Hypertens 1999, 17:1821-1824 (C) Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.