HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE IN MEDICAL STUDENTS

Objecitve: This research aimed to determine the blood pressure characteristics of medical students, serving as a reflection of the young adult population. Material and Methods: This study, conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, included 20 students for each class, amounting to 120 medical students. Blood pressure (BP) was taken twice using a sphygmomanometer and averaged. Results: The mean age of the students was 21.7±2.1years. Nineteen (15.8%) patients had hypertension. Five (4.2%) students were obese; all of them were male. There was no significant difference between the classes regarding of mean weight, height, and BMI. The mean SBP was significantly higher in grade 4 than the grades 2, 3, and 5 (126.8±5.2 mmHg vs 115.7±9.7 mmHg, 115.7±6.7 mmHg, and 113.2±13.3 mmHg, respectively). There was no significant difference with regard to the rates of smoking, alcohol use, SPS, and family history of HT and diabetes. The prevalence of HT was significantly higher in grade 4 than grades 2, 3, and 6. There was a positive correlation between SBP and body weight, height, and BMI . High BMI was found to be an independent risk factor in the multiple regression analysis. Conclusion: We concluded that, chronic stress leads to the release of stress hormones such as steroids that play a role in the development of hypertension, especially in grade 4 students.