[Young men with a positive family history of hypertension have higher values in a circadian blood pressure profile].

Non-invasive automatic 24-h indirect monitoring of blood pressure was performed in two groups of young males - group S - 55 men with positive family history of essential hypertension (EH) (mean age 24.6 +/- 3.6 years) and group K - 11 men with negative family history of EH (23.5 +/- 3.7 years). Circadian blood pressure variations were studied in two-hour periods throughout 24 hours. The curves of the blood pressure profiles in groups S and K had similar shape. The mean systolic blood pressure estimated for each of the two-hour periods was higher in group S than in group K in the corresponding period. Mean diastolic blood pressure estimated for each of the two-hour periods was higher in group S than in group K in almost all periods of the daily activity. These results indicate that young males with positive family history of EH have higher blood pressure than young males with negative family history of EH. This stable disregulation of blood pressure is present not only during day-time activity but also during sleep.