These children may come from families or family lines that have high blood pressure running. There are some children however who suffer from essential hypertension. Since much of hypertension found in children is secondary hypertension, treatment will involve addressing underlying medical disorders that will be driving the high blood pressure.Īpart from using specific hypertension medications some other pharmacological drugs addressing existing disorders will also be employed as part of the treatment algorithm. Children must be guided to have regular activity in addition to dietary changes that are lower in salt which contains sodium. Treating hypertension in children will also involve lifestyle modifications. Pediatric Hypertension Treatment and Medication This is particularly the case for children aged 3 and older. Due to this reason, doctors encourage that children have their blood pressure taken at least once per year. Signs and symptoms of hypertension in children just as primary high blood pressure remain elusive and hidden in the majority of patients. Heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments in children may also cause high blood pressure. The most commonly known underlying causes of high blood pressure in children are obesity, high blood lipids, diabetes melitus and kidney disease. Once the disorder is addressed the high blood pressure often dissipates. This points to the fact that hypertension in children is caused by underlying medical disorders. It is similar to the stages of hypertension as applied in adults namely prehypertension, stage 1 hypertension and stage 2 hypertension.Īs stated earlier secondary hypertension is more common in children than adults. The following is a classification of hypertension in children and adolescents. Pediatric high blood pressure is defined as blood pressure greater or equal to 90th percentile of sex, age and height. Pediatric hypertension diagnosis is confirmed when blood pressure readings are established after at least three separate doctor's office visits which are one week apart. Blood pressure readings are taken in context to a child's sex, age and height. In fact you will need to use cuffs specially designed for children. To begin with in order to get correct blood pressure numbers for children the correct cuff size will be required. This means only blood pressure monitors calibrated for children can be used. As a result measuring blood pressure in children is different from taking blood pressure in adults.
Hypertension in children is a fairly unique area of study. Primary essential hypertension affects mostly older members of a population and it represents unknownĬauses of high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension is more prevalent in children than adults and is a result of underlying disorders which are usually medical in nature. Hypertension in general is classified into two namely primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. It is only surpassed by obesity (25%) and asthma (7%) out of a total of six childhood recognized most prevalent diseases and conditions. In children hypertension is the third most prevalent disease affecting 4 to 5 percent of children. Pediatric high blood pressure is hypertension occurring in children and adolescents. Including pediatric hypertension chart, causes, treatment and medication