[Essential hypertension in the child and the adolescent. Epidemiological study in schools (author's transl)].

Amongst a group of 819 children and adolescents aged between 10 and 18 years and attending a public school, the distribution of blood pressure was determined in relation to age, sex, height-weight ratio and family history. Mean blood pressure values increased with age both sexes for both systolic and diastolic levels. Children outside the norms, blood pressure 2SD, should be considered to be hypertensive and be followed up. The prevalence of systolic hypertension was 3.95 per cent amongst the boys and 3,83 per cent amongst girls. That for diastolic hypertension was 7.33 per cent for boys and 6.97 per cent for girls. Obesity appeared to be the major factor associated with hypertension since half of the hypertensive individuals were overweight. Individual prevention is thus possible. The existence of a family history of hypertension and of obesity more particularly in obese hypertensive children should lead to steps aimed at the familial prevention of hypertension.