Cardiovascular risk factors in scholars (RIVACANGAS).

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Public Health
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Current hypertension guidelines lack specific sections for pediatric hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention.
• Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in adolescents are not adequately addressed in existing treatment protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify cardiovascular risk factors in an adolescent sample.
• To inform the development of targeted CVD prevention strategies for young populations.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 630 adolescents aged 12-17 years.
• Data collection included sociodemographic variables, personal/family history of hypertension and diabetes, anthropometric measurements (BMI, WC, WHI), and blood pressure.
• Analysis of cardiovascular risk conditions such as hypercholesterolemia, CVD, hypertension, and diabetes.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (7.1%), CVD (1.7%), hypertension (0.8%), and diabetes (0.3%) identified.
• Elevated BMI and overweight/obesity rates were significant, particularly in females.
• Over 63% had systolic blood pressure above the 90th percentile, and 23.7% had diastolic blood pressure above the 90th percentile.
• 13.3% of adolescents presented with two or more CVRFs, such as overweight combined with other factors.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of school-aged children exhibit multiple cardiovascular risk factors at a young age.
• Abnormal blood pressure levels and overweight/obesity are prevalent, highlighting the need for early intervention.
• Findings underscore the necessity for integrating pediatric-specific CVD prevention strategies into public health guidelines.