Hypertension and associated risk factors in young adults: a cross-sectional study from a tertiary care hospital in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is increasingly being diagnosed in young adults, raising concerns regarding future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, limited data are available regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics of hypertensive young adults in Nepal. This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hypertensive young adults and to characterize the distribution of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including increased body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, and positive family history of hypertension, within this population.
Method: Cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the General Clinic of Patan Hospital from November 2024 to October 2025. Total of 183 hypertensive young adults aged 18–40 years were enrolled using convenient sampling. Hypertension was defined according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded using a standardized structured proforma.
Result: Among 183 hypertensive young adults, the mean age was 32.45 ± 5.74 years. Male participants constituted 72.1% (n=132) of the cohort, while females accounted for 27.9% (n=51). The mean BMI was 29.42 ± 4.13 kg/m², and 90.2% of participants were either overweight (49.7%) or obese (40.4%). Current smoking was reported by 39.3% (n=72) of participants, alcohol consumption by 29.0% (n=53), and positive family history of hypertension by 24.0% (n=44). Multiple cardiovascular risk factors frequently coexisted within the hypertensive cohort.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated ypertensive young adults attending tertiary care hospital had a high burden of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, particularly overweight and obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption.