We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Pediatric Hypertension?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 1,826
Share

Pediatric hypertension refers to high blood pressure in children up to the age of 18. Most people wouldn’t associate high blood pressure with kids since this seems to be a disease that particularly affects adult populations. Yet research has proven that incidence of this occurs with greater regularity than previously thought.

About 4-5% of kids may suffer from this condition. Whether this percentage is due to greater detection methods or a rise in conditions that may have a correlation to hypertension, like obesity, is not fully known. What is known is that given the risk, it makes sense to screen all kids for this disorder during routine physicals.

There aren’t many symptoms associated with pediatric hypertension. Some kids and teens may have more headaches. They might also complain of sleep disturbances or higher than usual levels of fatigue in daytime hours. Unfortunately, these symptoms could be easy to dismiss as benign, and children still might not have blood pressure checked on a regular basis. Alternately, an unusually high reading could be dismissed as “fear of a doctor,” or due to poor test interpretation.

The guidelines that are being created to tackle pediatric hypertension suggest referral to a specialist if a child’s blood pressure exceeds 95% of what is considered normal for the age of the child. The actual numbers may be different in different age groups and dependent on things like height. Weight is a less accurate measure, since higher than normal weight may be considered a risk factor for this condition. It is not the only risk and things like cardiac defects, genetics, teen pregnancy, or diet could also play a role.

Given a diagnosis of pediatric hypertension, children might be referred to specialists like pediatric cardiologists or nephrologists. Efforts might be first focused on reducing blood pressure naturally, by such things as weight loss. These may not be the first action if blood pressure is exceptionally high, and instead using medication to reduce it might be suggested. Once hypertension is stabilized, children might remain on medications or eventually cease taking them. There is risk of continuing to have hypertension as an adult and this means some children with this condition are treated for life.

The reason treatment is vital is because high blood pressure can cause considerable damage to several organs and increase risk for stroke. In particular, the kidneys and the heart are most vulnerable to the destructive effects of hypertension. Experiencing pediatric hypertension means risking these organs or damaging them very early in life. Treatment may help minimize or arrest damage.

Hypertension affects about 5 in 100 children and may have few symptoms. It is not always connected to childhood obesity and has other causes. Regular blood pressure exams are one way to spot the hypertensive child, and parents should consider asking for one when their children have routine physicals. If hypertension is found, treatment of a variety of kinds can begin to protect the vital organs of the child.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-pediatric-hypertension.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.