A significant proportion of them are at risk for hypertension, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology Taking care of the Athletic Heart Conferenceheld June 6-8 in Washington.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects 47% of adults in the US CardioSmart.org. Over time, hypertension weakens the heart, blood vessels and kidneys, paving the way for a possible stroke or heart attack. High blood pressure, often called the ‘silent killer’, is a major risk factor for heart disease and premature death.
The 2017 ACC/American Heart Association guideline for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of hypertension in adults pre-hypertension (pre-HTN), stage I hypertension (HTN) and stage II HTN have been redefined, but limited data are available on how these updated classifications affect young athletes.
In this analysis, the authors sought to assess the prevalence of hypertension among young athletes and evaluate the impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on diagnosis rates using data collected from preventive cardiac screenings.
“The study highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing elevated blood pressure in young athletes. Despite being considered a generally healthy population, young athletes are not immune to heart disease, including elevated blood pressure,” said lead author Aneeq Malik, MD , an internal medicine physician at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and medical director of the Saving Hearts Foundation.
“The findings highlight that screening for hypertension should be a routine part of sports physiotherapy and that confirmatory testing is needed to accurately diagnose the condition.”
Of the 1,429 participants screened, 1,196 had blood pressure measurements recorded. The cohort consisted of 717 male (59.9%), 477 female (39.9%), and two gender non-binary (0.2%) participants. The ages of the participants ranged between 10 years old and 31 years old, and the average age was 15 years old.
Blood pressure records showed that 21.3% of participants met the definition of pre-HTN, 13.2% had stage I HTN and 8% were diagnosed with stage II HTN. The male participants had a higher prevalence of Phase I HTN (17.3%) and Phase II HTN (10.9%), compared to the female participants who maintained a prevalence of 7.1% and 3.8%, respectively.
Young athletes participating in multiple sports showed the highest HTN rates with a prevalence of 28.3%, closely followed by basketball at 27.6% and football at 27.1%.
The findings reveal a significant prevalence of elevated blood pressure measurements among young athletes in these cardiac examinations. Confirmatory testing in a controlled environment is crucial to ensure an accurate diagnosis, the researchers said.
According to the authors, there are several factors that could explain the higher rates of HTN among athletes in specific sports, such as individualized training routines unique to each sport, nutritional habits for specific sports or positions, variations in average body size, and social determinants. of health.
The results of this study are consistent with previous studies showing that exercise involving higher levels of static exertion was associated with increased blood pressure measurements. Football and basketball require moderate levels of static exercise, which could contribute to the higher HTN rates.
“Once hypertension is confirmed, educating young athletes and their families about the diagnosis becomes paramount. Appropriate lifestyle interventions, such as dietary modifications and advice on supplement use, increased physical activity, healthy sleep behavior and stress management, should be implemented along with routine monitoring,” said Malik.
According to the researchers, appropriate lifestyle modifications can significantly influence blood pressure among young athletes and early detection is crucial for preventing long-term health complications.
“Ultimately, increasing awareness and education about hypertension in this population will ensure that young athletes receive the care and support they need to maintain optimal cardiovascular health,” said Malik.
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