Profile of blood pressure in normal school children.

A total of 2073 school children between the age group of 5-14 years were examined to define the normal range of auscultatory blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension. An equal number of children in each age, sex and socio-economic group were studied. Mean figures for systolic and diastolic blood pressure with standard deviation and 95th percentile position for each age group were calculated. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure for both sexes had a direct correlation with age, weight and height. Overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 2.93%.