Prevalence and associated risk factors for elevated blood pressure in young adults in South Africa
Prevalence and associated risk factors for elevated blood pressure in young adults in South Africa
Background: Sub-Saharan Africa has been shown to have a high prevalence of hypertension (58% in rural black South Africans) with an accelerated course ending in end-stage renal disease. We sought to determine whether the prevalence of elevated blood pressure (EBP) in early adulthood was associated with any risk factors and/or renal target-organ damage in young adulthood, which could prevent development of these cardiorenal sequelae.
Methods: Data including risk factors for hypertension and markers of kidney damage were collected from young adults (n = 933; age 28 years; 52% female) participating in the Birth to Twenty Plus (BT20) cohort in Soweto, South Africa. Blood pressure was measured on one occasion.
Results: Fifty-four per cent of the study sample had EBP with more men affected (62%) than women (47%) (p < 0.001). Body mass index (BMI), hyperuricaemia and albuminuria had significant associations with EBP in men. In women, BMI, hyperuricaemia and a self-reported history of gestational hypertension had significant associations.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the pathophysiology of EBP in young adults differs between the genders and highlights a number of modifiable factors in its development.
157-163
Naidoo, Sanushka
9137fc9d-a30a-425f-bc75-93d23cedef4d
Fabian, June
6a63e598-325b-449a-8324-3a7e8c882e1b
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
2023
Naidoo, Sanushka
9137fc9d-a30a-425f-bc75-93d23cedef4d
Fabian, June
6a63e598-325b-449a-8324-3a7e8c882e1b
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
Naidoo, Sanushka, Fabian, June and Norris, Shane A.
(2023)
Prevalence and associated risk factors for elevated blood pressure in young adults in South Africa.
Cardiovascular Journal Of Africa, 34 (3), .
(doi:10.5830/CVJA-2022-036).
Abstract
Background: Sub-Saharan Africa has been shown to have a high prevalence of hypertension (58% in rural black South Africans) with an accelerated course ending in end-stage renal disease. We sought to determine whether the prevalence of elevated blood pressure (EBP) in early adulthood was associated with any risk factors and/or renal target-organ damage in young adulthood, which could prevent development of these cardiorenal sequelae.
Methods: Data including risk factors for hypertension and markers of kidney damage were collected from young adults (n = 933; age 28 years; 52% female) participating in the Birth to Twenty Plus (BT20) cohort in Soweto, South Africa. Blood pressure was measured on one occasion.
Results: Fifty-four per cent of the study sample had EBP with more men affected (62%) than women (47%) (p < 0.001). Body mass index (BMI), hyperuricaemia and albuminuria had significant associations with EBP in men. In women, BMI, hyperuricaemia and a self-reported history of gestational hypertension had significant associations.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the pathophysiology of EBP in young adults differs between the genders and highlights a number of modifiable factors in its development.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Submitted date: 3 February 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 August 2022
Published date: 2023
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 505318
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/505318
ISSN: 1995-1892
PURE UUID: 17d57b1f-db3c-4c10-9fd7-7e22f693f42c
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 07 Oct 2025 16:32
Last modified: 08 Oct 2025 02:00
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Sanushka Naidoo
Author:
June Fabian
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
