New Blood Pressure Guidelines for Children: What They Mean for You
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Health Tip of the Week Most of us think of high blood pressure as an adult problem. But it affects a growing number of children. An estimated 3.5 percent of all children and teens, or more than 2.5 million people under 18 suffer from high blood pressure. Probably many more, as that estimate relates to the obesity epidemic in children and doesn’t count the many children who have no outward signs of high blood pressure and who haven’t been accurately tested.
Why should we be concerned? Shobha Natarajan, MD, Co-Director of the Hypertension and Vascular Evaluation Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, explains. “High blood pressure can be a marker of other medical conditions such as kidney disease or specific types of heart defects, or can be a problem in itself. In particular, kids with obesity or diabetes can develop hypertension early on. High blood pressure puts extra strain on the heart, leading to thickening of heart muscle. It can also damage arteries, reducing oxygen and nutrients to important organs including the brain, the heart and the kidneys.”
Research shows that heart disease in adults often has its roots in childhood and that early diagnosis can lead to better long-term outcomes. “Children are more resilient than adults,” says Natarajan. “When high blood pressure is treated in young people, damage to the heart and arteries can often be reversed.”
In response to this growing public health problem, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines for identifying and treating high blood pressure in children and adolescents, published in the September issue of Pediatrics.
“The good news is that the new guidelines will assist medical professionals in accurately detecting high blood pressure early,” says Dr. Natarajan. “The guidelines encourage families and medical professionals to work together to achieve optimal blood pressure control in order to prevent permanent damage to the child’s organs and optimize long-term heart, kidney and brain health into adulthood.”
Children and adolescents who are at risk for high blood pressure, or who have cardiovascular risk factors associated with other medical conditions, will receive coordinated, outpatient care through the Hypertension and Vascular Evaluation Program. For more information, contact Ashley Kicsak, program coordinator, at 215-590-2200.
Contributed by: Shobha S. Natarajan, MD
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