[Detection of arterial hypertension in school childrens]

Hypertension is a multifactorial desease, with increasingly incidence and prevalence, that is why it is considered a public health issue.

To know the prevalence of hypertension in children from 6 to 12 years old, in Cipolletti city. To check if there are differences as regards sex and age. To institutionalizalice blood pressure messurement as part of the rutinary physical examination in the control of a child.

This was a cross sectional study. Blood pressure readings were obteined from 1038 students aged between 6 and 12 years old; who belong to 7 public schools of Cipolletti. Mercury sphyngomanometer and cuffs of 7.5 per 15 cm and 12 per 22 cm were used. The auscultatory method was used in phase I and V of Korotkoff. The second Task Force recomendations for blood pressure in children were followed. Blood pressure readings were obteined in 3 visits. Those students who had blood pressure messurement iqual to or higher than those established for hypertension were identified during each visit: boys 115/75 mmHg (6-8 years) 118/79 mmHg (9-10 years) and 122/80 mmHg (11-12 yars); girls 113/74 mmHg (6-8 years) 118/79 mmHg (9-10 years) and 122/79 mmHg (11-12).

The prevalence of hypertension is 3.37%, being more frecuent in the range of ages that go from between 6 to 8 years, which corresponds to a 74.29% of the hypertensed children. The hypertense group messurements of blood pressure are: a)Boys: 122.92 mmHg +/- 4.11/78.43mmHg +/- 5.19; b)Girls: 123.63 mmHg +/- 7.43/80.22mmHg +/- 2. There were not significant differences between sexs at the 5% (a=0.05) level. The blood pressure has never been messurered to 597 students (58%).

The prevalence of hypertension in Cipolletti is similar to international statistics. There is a number of children with hypertension that is not detected during medical examination due to lack of blood pressure messurement institutionalization.