Familial Aggregation of Blood Pressure

ABSTRACT

To examine the familial aggregation of blood pressure, household interviews and health examination surveys were conducted from July 9 to August 18, 1986 on 469 families with first grade children who attended primary schools in Kangwha County. Blood pressure, height, weight, pulse rate and the arm circumference of 1972 family members from three generations were measured, followed by an interview concerning preference for salty foods and any prescribed hypertensive drugs. Based on the binomial goodness-of-fit test and analysis of variance, familial aggregation of blood pressure was identified. The genetic component of blood pressure was estimated to be approximately 22.3% of the total variance in systolic blood pressure and 21.4% in diastolic blood pressure by using a mixed model two way ANOVA. Significant correlations were found in systolic and diastolic blood pressures among almost all family members. Correlations of blood pressure between siblings were higher in families with hypertensive parents than with normotensive parents. A shared environment and the degree of sharing also influenced blood pressure. There is a need of a follow-up study on children's blood pressure since the familial aggregation varied with the age of the children.