Skip to main content

Pharmapedia : Can children have Hypertension? Importance of regular checking of Blood Pressure

 

Clinical courses

Let's first understand what is hypertension.

What is hypertension?
Hypertension is very serious condition that affects huge population of world. It is also known as High blood pressure or a condition where your heart and arteries are straining to hard  move blood to your body.

Hypertension is major factor responsible for heart diseases, stroke and even blindness. Hypertension doesn’t have one single cause but majorly depends on age, family history, pregnancy and even life style also affect your hypertension just like not getting enough exercise, being overweight, taking high fat diet or having too much alcohol or smoking. These all are risk factors for hypertension.

Stress is also one of important factor for causing high blood pressure. It can also cause sympathetic high blood pressure.

There are many people who are having hypertension even without realizing. That’s why it is important to check your blood pressure regularly even if you feel perfectly healthy. People should check their blood pressure in every two years. And if one has high risk likes age, family pressure etc. , then one should check their blood pressure atleast once a year.

Can children have Hypertension?
Just like adults hypertension can also affect children. Hypertension in children is on the rise. According to medical association it is confirmed that hypertension is also making home in younger ages. The government should make some guidelines by which they can recommend  it is require to check BP over age of 3.

How to avoid: Provide them also with low fat diet and healthy food for development. Also require to see that children get some regular exercise. So many activities such a days involved with children are sedentary such as video games. So organize such activities for children which help them to build their health. And only parents can do that.

Some signs and symptoms are especially important in newborns and infants such as failure to seizures, thrive, lack of energy, irritability and difficulty breathing. In children, hypertension can cause fatigue, headache, nosebleeds, blurred vision and facial paralysis.
Still the true incidence of pediatric hypertension is unknown. In adults, it has been defined due to the adverse effects caused by it. However, in children, similar studies have not been performed thoroughly to link any adverse effects with the increase in blood pressure. So, the prevalence of pediatric hypertension remains unknown due to the lack of scientific knowledge.

You can put your queries and comments below. Thank you.