The effects of age, gender, and family history on blood pressure of normotensive college students.

Offspring with a parental history of hypertension are, by some estimates, four times more likely to develop the disease (Corvol et al., 1992). While some studies suggest that an increased risk is observable in eight year old children, others suggest that the increased risk does not become apparent until age 20. This study examined this discrepancy by screening resting blood pressures from 403 young adults. After adjusting for body mass, a significant family history x age x gender interaction (p < .01) suggests that the effect of family history on systolic blood pressure varies by age and gender. The influence of positive family history becomes apparent in males by age 20 and in females by age 22. This relationship may help provide a rationale for interpretation and reconciliation of disparate results in the literature, and clarify our understanding of the etiologic mechanisms responsible for development of essential hypertension.