Cardiovascular risk profile in children and adolescents in a Portuguese school

Introduction: Hypertension (HTN) is one of the most important risk factors for the development of cerebrocardiovascular diseases, which is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity in Portugal. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of high blood pressure and lipid profile in children and adolescents, in students in the 2nd and 3rd cycle and secondary education in a Group of Schools in Portugal. Methodology: The sample was collected in a group of schools in the interior of Portugal, among students attending grades 5 to 12. The sample consists of a total of 156 students, aged between 10 and 18 years old. A questionnaire was completed and blood pressure was measured in each individual and the lipid profile was assessed in each individual. The collection and analytical processing of data to carry out this study required submission and request for authorization to the Ethics Committee of the Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, followed by authorization from the management of the group of schools. Results: The prevalence of high blood pressure was 38.8% and higher in males. A higher prevalence of hypertension and high triglyceride levels was observed in students who did not exercise outside of school and in individuals who ate larger amounts of meat, who also had a higher prevalence of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels ( HDL) lower than expected. Discussion and Conclusion: In this study, a high percentage of hypertension and changes in the lipid profile were observed among secondary school students at this school in the interior of Portugal, as has been observed in other studies. It was concluded that it is essential to carry out more studies, screenings and investigations that identify these cases early, in order to mitigate cerebrocardiovascular risks.