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High Blood Pressure in Children

Source: outreach.rice.edu
Topic: High Blood Pressure
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Sort Desciption: We usually think of high blood pressure, or hypertension, as a problem that affects adults. But in fact, this condition can be present at all ages, even in infancy. About five of every 100 children ...

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We usually think of high blood pressure, or hypertension, as a problem that affects adults. But in fact, this condition can be present at all ages, even in infancy. About five of every 100 children have higher than normal blood pressure, although less than one in 100 has medically significant hypertension. The term blood pressure actually refers to two separate measurements: systolic blood pressure is the highest pressure reached in the arteries as the heart pumps blood out for circulation through the body; and diastolic blood pressure is the much lower pressure that occurs in the arteries when the heart relaxes to take blood in between beats. If either or both of these measurements is above the range found in healthy individuals of similar age and sex, its called hypertension. Hypertension is more common among individuals of color than whites. It also seems to be more prevalent in some parts of the world; for example, its very rare among Alaskan Eskimos but affects as many as 40 of every 100 adults in northern Japan. In many cases hypertension seems to develop with age. As a result, your child may show no signs of high blood pressure as an infant but may develop the condition as she grows. Effects of High Blood Pressure In most instances of high blood pressure, no known cause can be identified. However, when hypertension becomes severe in children, its usually a symptom of another serious problem, such as kidney disease or abnormalities of the heart, or the nervous or endocrine (gland) system. Fortunately, high blood pressure alone rarely causes serious problems in children and can be controlled through dietary changes, medication or a combination of the two. However, if hypertension is allowed to continue or become worse over many years, the prolonged extra pressure can lead to heart failure. In addition, the stress on blood vessels in the brain can cause them to burst, producing a stroke. Also, long ...

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