High Blood Pressure in Children
by jmmillerBlood pressure or hypertension is the force of blood pushing against the artery walls. Blood pressure is measured by a nurse or health care provider using a blood pressure cup and stethoscope. There are two different numbers recorded when measuring blood pressure:
· Systolic Pressure. This is the higher number which refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart contracts and pumps blood
· Diastolic Pressure. This is the lower number, which refers to the pressure inside the artery when the heart is resting and filling with blood.
Blood pressures change during waking hours, and are lower while sleeping. It is usually higher during or after exercise, and is lower at rest. Feelings like anger, happiness or fear can affect blood pressure. Emotional or physical stress can make blood pressure higher.
The age, weight height and gender can make blood pressure vary if the child has other illnesses, this may change their blood pressure. Children can be anxious in the doctor’s office, being scared to leave their parents. This can affect blood pressure and can give false high readings. Before determining if your child has high blood pressure the nurse will take their blood pressure several times while they are calm, so that they can get an accurate reading.
Blood pressure is usually low in infancy and tends to rise slowly as the child ages. Boys blood pressure is usually higher than girls. Taller children tend to have higher blood pressure than shorter children.
With high blood pressure, arteries may have a higher resistance against the blood flow, making the heart pump faster to circulate the blood. Stroke and heart attack related to high blood pressure are generally rare in children and adolescents.
Some of the primary factors that lead to high blood pressure in adults and possibly children are the following:
· Higher blood cholesterol levels
· Obesity
· Not exercising
· Smoking
Here are some secondary causes of high blood pressure in children:
· Illnesses- Kidneys play an important part in regulating blood pressure; if they are diseased the ability to perform this task diminishes.
· Using prescription or illegal drugs like steroids or oral contraceptives
· Being overweight
· Not being able to move around due to chronic illness
· Severe pain
Primarily, Hypertension is hereditary. Many children with high blood pressure also have a family member with this disease; this leads us to think that blood pressure is indeed hereditary. There is also a higher incidence of high blood pressure in African American children after 12 years of age.
Diagnostic tests can help determine if the child’s blood pressure is related to an illness. Diagnostic procedures usually include urinalysis and blood tests.
Treatment of high blood pressure will be determined by your child’s doctor based on:
· Age, medical history and overall health
· Childs tolerance to medication and therapies
· Expectations of course conditions
· Extent of child’s condition
· Your personal opinion or preference
Examining these facts, the doctor can find ways to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, improve heart strength, and lower blood cholesterol. These are all important steps in preventing heart disease as an adult. Medications to help control blood pressure are only needed in 1% of the children with high blood pressure. Consult your family doctor for more information.
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