Cardiac and systemic hemodynamic characteristics of hypertension and prehypertension in adolescents and young adults : The strong heart study

The epidemic of overweight is increasing the prevalence of both prehypertension and early-onset hypertension, but few population-based data exist on their impact on cardiac structure and function in adolescents and young adults. We analyzed clinical characteristics, hemodynamic parameters, and left ventricular structure and function in 1940 participants, 14 to 39 years of age, in the Strong Heart Study. Hypertension occurred in 294 participants (15%), who were more often men (70% versus 30%), older (age, 31+/-7 versus 25+/-8 years), and more commonly diabetic (23% versus 4.5%; all P