Cardiac autonomic control in adolescents with primary hypertension

BACKGROUND Impairment in cardiovascular autonomic regulation participates in the onset and maintenance of primary hypertension. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic control using long-term heart rate variability (HRV) analysis in adolescents with primary hypertension. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Twenty two adolescent patients with primary hypertension (5 girls/17 boys) aged 14-19 years and 22 healthy subjects matched for age and gender were enrolled. Two periods from 24-hour ECG recording were evaluated by HRV analysis: awake state and sleep. HRV analysis included spectral power in low frequency band (LF), in high frequency band (HF), and LF/HF ratio. - RESULTS In awake state, adolescents with primary hypertension had lower HF and higher LF and LF/HF ratio. During sleep, HF was lower and LF/HF ratio was higher in patients with primary hypertension. CONCLUSIONS A combination of sympathetic predominance and reduced vagal activity might represent a potential link between psychosocial factors and primary hypertension, associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity.