A SILENT EPIDEMIC: Hypertension (HTN) - or high blood pressure - is a chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. It is classified as either primary (essential) or secondary. According to Part I: Essential Hypertension from the textbook Circulation 101, about 90–95% of cases are termed "primary hypertension", which refers to high blood pressure for which no medical cause can be found. The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research adds that the remaining 5–10% of cases (Secondary hypertension) are caused by other conditions that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart, or endocrine system. The American Journal of Hypertension warns that persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic kidney failure. Moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of associated health complications.THE KID'S AREN'T ALRIGHT: Kids Health, an inclusive website offering up-to-date information and research studies pertaining to children, states that an estimated 3% of kids have high blood pressure. In babies, it's usually caused by prematurity or problems with the kidneys or heart. While hypertension is far more common among adults, the rate among kids is on the rise, a trend that experts link to the increase in childhood obesity. The Children's Hospital, an organization set out to lead the nation in providing the utmost healthcare outcomes for children, brings up the point that many kids and teens with high blood pressure have no other health problems but do have a family history of hypertension and an unhealthy lifestyle — a bad diet, excess weight, stress, and insufficient physical activity. If it goes untreated, high blood pressure can eventually lead to damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes. But if it's caught early, monitored, and treated, a child with high blood pressure can lead an active, normal life. "There are approximately 2 million children in the country aged 3 to 18 who have high blood pressure, or hypertension," which Dr. David Kaelber of the Boston Children's Hospital was quoted as saying in an article in the Journal of American Medical Association. Alas, only about 500,000 of these cases will be detected. "This means that there are 1.5 million of these children that neither they, nor their parents, nor their clinicians know they have high blood pressure," Kaelber concluded.
For More Information, Contact:
Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
One Charles Center
100 North Charles Street, Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21201
Email : hopkinschildrensnews@jhmi.edu
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