Objective: 

The increasing obesity among young people, smoking, coffee and alcohol consumption associate with stress represent risk factors of high blood pressure. We proposed to study blood pressure variation in medical students correlated with their lifestyle.

Methods: 

Were questioned 27 students, 15 boys and 12 girls, 23 years old, about their lifestyle, coffee, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Blood pressure was determined in the morning, afternoon, periodically from November untill February. Also, determinations were performed before and after the exams.

Results: 

BMI was higher in girls than boys. Coffee consumption was higher in girls (75%) than boys (46.66%), alcohol consumption was found in 41% of cases. Smoking more than 25 cigarettes/day was noted in 33.33% boys and 25% girls. In the boys' group during exams, a moderate increased systolic blood pressure 124.66±11.44 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 74±8.42 mmHg was noticed, in the afternoon. In girls, before the exam systolic (113.33 ± 11.14 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (72.08 ± 5.82 mmHg) increased.

Conclusions: 

Blood pressure modification showed a response to the sympathetic vegetative system activation induced by the exam stress, associated with the effect of coffee consumption. Smoking, coffee use associated with stressing situations, as exams, can increase the blood pressure values. So, we recommend periodical check of blood pressure at youths that have high values, informing the youth about the risk factors, and the change of their lifestyle to a healthy life.