Alarming Statistics

As many as 5% of U.S. children and teens under age 18 may have hypertension, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). That’s up to 3.6 million kids with a serious condition that used to be found mainly in older adults. And 10% more, or 7.3 million, may have elevated blood pressure, putting them in danger of developing hypertension later. (Elevated blood pressure is above normal but below hypertension.) These statistics are four times higher than they were 30 to 40 years ago.

The causes are clear. Childhood obesity rates rose from 5% in the late 1970s to 19.7% in 2020, according to the CDC. This is a major risk factor for hypertension, as are poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, too much sodium, poor sleep, energy drinks packed with sugar and caffeine, and (as is likely in Nate’s case) genetics. All can chronically raise blood pressure.

In March 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) published a scientific statement calling pediatric hypertension an “unrecognized condition” and alerting medical personnel (and parents) about how common it is and how to accurately diagnose and treat it.

Bonita Falkner, MD, who led the team of experts who wrote the AHA statement, sees cause for concern. “Essentially, many of these children have a medical profile that’s already similar to their grandparents,” says Falkner, a professor emeritus of medicine and pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University who has studied pediatric hypertension for 20 years.

Blood Vessels Aging Too Soon

“The problem with children having unmanaged hypertension or elevated blood pressure is that it adds a pressure burden to their cardiovascular systems and kidneys for a much longer time,” Falkner says. “These children are already showing signs of vascular aging, meaning their blood vessels are a little stiffer and their heart muscles are a bit bigger. Fortunately, hypertension can be managed and even reversed with lifestyle changes (including better nutrition, more exercise, and weight loss) and, if necessary, medication. This first requires awareness of the problem and then early and accurate detection — two things that the AAP says are lacking.

“The diagnosis is missed in up to 75% of pediatric patients in primary care settings,” the AAP stated in its 2017 guidelines on pediatric hypertension. The AHA’s more recent statement shows that progress has been slow.

Reference & Credit:
WebMD
By Joe Kita
March 28, 2024
https://www.webmd.com/children/story/high-blood-pressure-in-children