High blood pressure in children

High blood pressure is often considered to be the only disease in older people. However, children may also have high blood pressure, even in infancy.

Take your child to the doctor for regular check-up so that the doctor can monitor their blood pressure in time

This may cause parents to worry, because high blood pressure may affect not only the health and lifestyle of the patient but also life-threatening if not treated.

The problem here is the misconception that high blood pressure is only expressed late, in adulthood. Even the majority of adults with high blood pressure do not think the source of the disease may be related to their childhood. They also do not think about the dangerous effects of high blood pressure that can affect their children.

Since 3 years of age, regular checkups usually include blood pressure measurement. But identifying a single high blood pressure level, at least through separate measurements - is rarely done, especially in children.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is defined as a rise in blood pressure above normal thresholds that can damage the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes.

Blood pressure changes from time to time and is influenced not only by activity and rest but also by temperature, diet, emotional state, posture and medication. But precisely, blood pressure is the pressure that the blood tries to fight against the vascular wall when the heart pumps blood. The pressure is higher when the heart contracts and lower when it relaxes; but there is always a certain pressure in the arteries. The blood pressure is created by two forces - one by the heart when it expels blood into the arteries and throughout the circulatory system, a cause of arteries created when it is resistant to this blood flow.

Blood pressure is measured, in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), using a medical device called a sphygmomanometer. A wrap is wrapped around the arm and pumped up to put pressure. When the wrapping is full, it forces a large artery in the hand, preventing the blood from flowing for a while. Blood pressure is measured when the air is slowly released, which allows the blood to begin to flow back through the artery when the arterial blood pressure is higher than the pressure in the cuff.

Using a stethoscope placed on an artery helps the doctor hear the first impulse when blood flow - that is, systolic blood pressure (or blood pressure at the top of each stroke). Diastolic blood pressure (blood pressure when the heart relaxes between shots) is noted when the sound disappears. When reading a blood pressure reading, larger numbers represent systolic and smaller numbers showing diastolic blood pressure. For example: 120/80 (120 over 80) means systolic blood pressure is 120 and diastolic blood pressure is 80.

Blood pressure lower than 120/80 is considered normal for teens and adults. High blood pressure levels of systolic blood pressure from 120 to 139 or diastolic from 80 to 89 should be closely monitored. Blood pressure values ​​equal to or greater than 140/90 are considered high and should be assessed more carefully and treatable.

As children grow, their blood pressure continues to increase from a systolic blood pressure level of about 90 in infancy to the value of adolescent adults. In children, high blood pressure is defined when blood pressure is greater than the 95th percentile by age, height and sex (in other words, 95% of children of the same age, height and gender will have blood pressure under the numerical value. this).

The value between the 90th and 95th percentile is considered 'high normal' or 'limited'. Children with higher blood pressure than the 90th percentile are likely to have high blood pressure 3 times greater than children with moderate blood pressure. The physician will take an average of at least 3 different measurements before determining if he has high blood pressure or is at risk for high blood pressure.

It is important to remember that blood pressure varies from person to person. For example, blood pressure levels are considered normal for a woman who may be high for a girl.

What causes hypertension?

The cause of hypertension varies, depending on the age of the child. The younger the age, the higher the blood pressure is likely to be towards a special pathology. In most cases in childhood, the cause is kidney disease; Although other diseases such as vascular malformations or hormonal disorders can also cause high blood pressure. Some medications (such as steroides or birth control pills) can also lead to high blood pressure.

Even babies can have high blood pressure. The most common cause of hypertension in newborns is complications of premature birth such as thrombosis in renal arteries or bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Another common cause in newborns is congenital kidney abnormalities and aortic stenosis - a fairly common congenital defect manifesting as a partial narrowing of the aorta, the main artery bringing blood out of the heart.

The older a child is, the more likely he is to have unresponsive hypertension and high blood pressure without knowing the cause. Idiopathic high blood pressure is found primarily in adolescence and adults. Most teenagers with high blood pressure have the same cause as adults: family history, diet, stress, obesity, lack of regular exercise. Excessive use of alcohol and addictive substances can also cause high blood pressure.

T.VY