Family History of Essential Hypertension Versus Obesity as Risk Factors for Hypertension in Adolescents

Family history of hypertension and obesity are both risk factors for hypertension. Hypertension and obesity share several physiopathologic abnormalities and are frequently associated. However, not all obese people are hypertensive. Renal handling of sodium has been proposed as a physiopathogenic mechanism of essential hypertension and obesity. This study was conducted in obese adolescents to evaluate the role of a family history of hypertension versus obesity in the renal handling of sodium. Fractional excretion of lithium (FELi) and uric acid (FEUA) were measured in 46 obese adolescent offspring of hypertensive parents (OH: body mass index [BMI], 29.5 6 0.6 kg/m2, age 14.2 6 0.3 years, 22 males); eight obese offspring of normotensive parents (ON: BMI, 30.7 6 1.7 kg/m2, 14.8 6 0.8 years, four males), and in 34 lean adolescent offspring o