Publication:

Cross-sectional observational study of occurrence and correlation of the risk-factors of hypertension among medical students in Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Background The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of hypertension in students of a medical college associated with a tertiary care teaching hospital and identify the risk factors in this group.

Methods Participants answered a structured questionnaire and underwent a physical screening. Automated (Omron HEM-7121J) sphygmomanometers were used to measure blood pressures. Standardised digital weighing scales were used to measure weight. Standardised stadiometers were used to measure height. Hypertension grades were defined under the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Society of Hypertension (ESH) 2023 guidelines. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed to test the correlation and significance of the risk factors of hypertension.

Results The sample of this study comprised of 247 students out of which 52.6% were females and 47.4% were males. This study found the occurrence of hypertension to be 13.4%. Furthermore, a significant association was found between hypertension and various risk factors like body mass index (BMI), dietary salt intake, physical activity, duration of sleep per night, habit of smoking, alcohol consumption and family history of hypertension.

Conclusions This study highlights the occurrence of hypertension among medical students, providing valuable insight for targeting intervention programs at this early stage. By incorporating education on hypertension occurrence and its risks into the educational curriculum, these programs can effectively address the issue within this population.