Highlights
- •The prevalence of HTN across the Arab world is around 12.6%.
- •The prevalene is almost four times more in high income countries, such as Saudi Arabia compared to Middle-income countries as Egypt and Tunisia.
- •Prevalence was higher among studies based on adolescents with high BMI, compared to those with normal weight.
Abstract
Problem
Hypertension (HTN) is one of the non-communicable diseases which prevalence is rising
in both developed and developing countries. There is a scarcity of data on the prevalence
of HTN in Arab countries. This review outlines what is currently known about prevalence
and risk factors of HTN in adolescence in Arab world.
Eligibility criteria
A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library,
Scopus, CINAHL, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases from 2011 to 2021.
Sample
Fourteen studies from 9 Arab countries met inclusion criteria. Studies included a
total of 777 adolescents with HTN and 2147 adolescents with pre-HTN.
Results
The overall prevalence of HTN among adolescents in the Arab World was estimated at
12.6% (95CI 0.083–0.176), while pre-HTN was 13.9% (95CI 0.084–0205). Overweight and
obesity resemble the higher risk of developing hypertension. Family history, high
consumption of salt, smoking and low physical activity also increase the risk of HTN.
The development of adolescent HTN can be predicted through anthropometric measurements
such as Body Mass Index (BMI), wrist circumferences, and high waist circumference.
Conclusion
The prevalence of HTN among adolescents in the Arab world was significant, ranging
from 4 to 26%. The heterogeneity between studies was high.
Implication
Local governments and policymakers must consider strengthening regulations to address
environmental risk factors and improve public awareness about risk factors to HTN.
A combined use of nurse- and patient targeted educational interventions could also
help in reducing the burden of HTN in this population.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Pediatric Nursing: Nursing Care of Children and FamiliesAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- High blood pressure and its association with body weight among children and adolescents in the United Arab Emirates.PLoS One. 2014; 9e85129
- Prevalence of elevated blood pressure and association with obesity in Egyptian school adolescents.International Journal of Hypertension. 2011; 2011
- A survey of blood pressure in Lebanese children and adolescence.North American Journal of Medical Sciences. 2011; 3: 24
- Blood pressure standards for Saudi children and adolescents.Annals of Saudi medicine. 2009; 29: 173-178https://doi.org/10.4103/0256-4947.51787
- Pediatric hypertension in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Medical Journal. 2015; 36: 713
- Blood pressure and associated factors in a north African adolescent population. A national cross-sectional study in Tunisia.BMC Public Health. 2012; 12: 1-10
- Hypertension and its risk factors among male adolescents in intermediate and secondary schools in Sakaka City, Aljouf region of Saudi Arabia.Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice. 2019; 22: 1140
- The predictors of hypertension in children: Palestinian perspective.SAGE Open Nursing. 2021; 7 (2377960820987424)
- Cardiovascular risk factors for hypertension and diabetes among overweight and obese adolescents in the City of Kerbala, Iraq.Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research. 2020; 11: 32-39
- Arterial hypertension in overweight and obese Algerian adolescents: Role of abdominal adiposity.Diabetes & Metabolism. 2011; 37: 291-297
- Physiological and lifestyle factors associated with abnormal blood pressure in adolescents before and after a school-based wellness program in Michigan: A report from project healthy schools.Journal of Adolescent Health. 2021; 69: 127-133
- The progression of hypertensive heart disease.Circulation. 2011; 123: 327-334
- Risk factors in adolescent hypertension.Global Pediatric Health. 2016; 3 (2333794X15625159)
- Summary of the fourth report on the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure in children and adolescents.Hypertension. 2004; 44: 387-388
- Clinical practice guideline for screening and management of high blood pressure in children and adolescents.Pediatrics. 2017; 140
- High blood pressure in children attending pediatric clinic at king Abdulaziz university hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Journal of Family & Community Medicine. 2019; 26: 193
- Association between dietary sodium, calcium, saturated fat and blood pressure in obese Egyptian adolescents.Egyptian Pediatric Association Gazette. 2019; 67: 1-6
- Prevalence of hypertension, obesity, hematuria and proteinuria amongst healthy adolescents living in Western Saudi Arabia.Saudi Medical Journal. 2016; 37: 1120
- Relation of body mass index (BMI) to the prevalence of hypertension in children: A 3 years’ school-based prospective study in Suzhou, China.International Journal of Cardiology. 2016; 222: 270-274
- Joanna Briggs institute reviewers’ manual.The Joanna Briggs Institute, Adelaide2014
- Obesity and hypertension.Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2016; 12: 2395-2399
- Why should we screen for arterial hypertension in children and adolescents?.Pediatric Nephrology. 2018; 33: 83-92
- Lifestyle, anthropometric, socio-demographic and perinatal correlates of early adolescence hypertension: The healthy growth study.Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases. 2019; 29: 159-169
- Prevalence of elevated blood pressure and its relationship with fat mass, body mass index and waist circumference among a group of Moroccan overweight adolescents.Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. 2013; 7: e284-e289
- Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement.PLoS Medicine. 2009; 6e1000097
- Chapter 7: Systematic reviews of etiology and risk.in: Joanna briggs institute reviewer’s manual. The Joanna Briggs Institute, 2017: 5
- Geographical variations in the prevalence of hypertension in France: Cross-sectional analysis of the CONSTANCES cohort.European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 2019; 26: 1242-1251
- High blood pressure in schoolchildren: Associated sociodemographic and biochemical factors.Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia (English Edition). 2019; 38: 195-201
- High blood pressure in children and adolescents.American family physician. 2012; 85: 693-700
- Screening strategies for hypertension: A systematic review protocol.BMJ Open. 2019; 9e025043
- Hypertension update, JNC8 and beyond.Current Opinion in Pharmacology. 2017; 33: 41-46
- Global prevalence of hypertension in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.JAMA Pediatrics. 2019; 173: 1154-1163
- Prevalence and predictors of pre hypertension and hypertension among school going adolescents (14–19 years) of Tripura, India.Indian Journal of Medical Specialities. 2017; 8: 179-186
- Dietary pattern and blood pressure levels of adolescents in Sohag, Egypt.The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association. 2013; 88: 97-103
- UNICEF Data: Monitoring the situation of children and women.
- World Health Organization: World health statistics 2012.
- World health organization: Noncommunicable diseases.
- World Health Organization: Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Left ventricular hypertrophy in pediatric hypertension: A mini review.Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2017; 5: 101
- Prevalence trends of hypertension among 9–17 aged children and adolescents in Yunnan, 2017–2019: A serial cross-sectional surveillance survey.BMC Public Health. 2021; 21: 1-9
Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 16, 2022
Accepted:
March 7,
2022
Received in revised form:
February 25,
2022
Received:
January 22,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
