Hypertension runs in families, and parental history of hypertension increases the risk of developing hypertension, especially if both the parents are hypertensive's. In all, 25% of children with one hypertensive parent and 50% of children with two hypertensive parents will eventually become hypertensive demonstrating that heredity plays a major role in the development of the disease. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that normotensive young male adults, with parental history of hypertension exhibit variations in cardiovascular autonomic functions as tested by the analysis of HRV with deep breathing.
The study group of 25 healthy normotensive male subjects whose parents are hypertensive, either father or mother or both being hypertensive but none being diabetic whereas control group of 25 healthy normotensive male subjects whose parents were normotensive and non diabetic. All are aged between 18 to 25 years.
There was no significant difference in the anthropometric measurements and the resting parameters between the two groups (p>0.05). The Heart Rate Variability with Deep Breathing (HRVdb) was reduced in the study group when compared to the control group and was statistically significant (p<0.04).
The study shows that HRV is reduced in normotensive young men with parenteral history of hypertension. Even though the baseline cardiovascular parameters values were normal in both the groups, it was by the way of recording of HRV with rest and the autonomic challenge by the way of the HRVdb the autonomic imbalance could be made out in the study group.
HRV db, Family history of Hypertension, Heart Rate, Blood pressure
