The number of visits and blood pressure measurements influence the prevalence of high blood pressure in adolescents

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the number of visits and the number of blood pressure (BP) measurements on the prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) in adolescents. A cross-sectional epidemiologic study with 481 adolescents (14-19 years old) selected using a random cluster sampling strategy. We measured the BP three times in a first visit. Adolescents with HBP performed subsequent visits. The final calculation of BP followed four strategies: the 1st measure, mean of 1st and 2nd measurements, mean of all three measurements, and averaging the 2nd and 3rd measurements. The prevalence of HBP in the first and second visits was 6.4% and 1.9%, and the prevalence of hypertension (after three visits) was 1.7%. The prevalence of HBP varied from 8.6%-18.6% for boys and 4.6%-9.2% for girls, using the average 2nd and 3rd measurements and the 1st measurement, respectively. In all strategies, HBP and hypertension were more prevalent in boys and students attending the nocturnal shift. The number of visits and number of measurements affect the prevalence of HBP and hypertension in adolescents. Thus, clinicians and researchers should consider these aspects when assessing BP in adolescents aged 14-19 years old.