HEALTH - HYPERTENSION
(HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE)
Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Most people associate high blood pressure with getting older, so it may seem odd that teens can have the condition. Although high blood pressure is rare in young people , it's important to check for it. Even babies can have high blood pressure.
Almost 60 million Americans age 6 and older have high blood pressure, with older people more likely to have hypertension. That means about 1 in 5 Americans has the condition. Because a third to a half of the people who have high blood pressure don't even know it, doctors are careful to check their patients for hypertension regularly.
Blood pressure of less than 120 over 80 is considered a normal reading for people 18 and over. A borderline systolic pressure of 120 to 139 or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 needs to be closely monitored. This is called prehypertension. A blood pressure reading equal to or greater than 140 over 90 is considered high in people over the age of 18. Because blood pressure increases as you get older, readings that doctors consider high in teens may be lower than the blood pressure readings that are considered high in adults.
In teens up to age 18, high blood pressure is defined as a blood pressure greater than the 95th percentile for their age, height, and gender . Measurements between 90% to 95% of the expected range are considered borderline or prehypertension. Teens with blood pressure readings that are greater than 90% of the expected range are three times more likely than those with average readings to develop high blood pressure as adults.
A doctor will average at least three blood pressure measurements taken at different times before determining that a teen has hypertension. Most teens will have their blood pressure checked during an annual physical exam. Doctors recommend that older teens with normal blood pressure get their blood pressure checked yearly. If your blood pressure is near the top of the normal range or if you have a family history of high blood pressure, you're at a higher risk for developing hypertension. Your doctor can advise you as to how often you should have your blood pressure checked in this situation.
Treatment
High blood pressure is classified as:
Normal blood pressure: less than 120/80 mmHg
Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89 mmHg
Hypertension: greater than 140/90 mmHg
Stage 1 Hypertension:140-159/90-99 mmHg
Stage 2 Hypertension: 160 or greater/ 100 or greater mmHg
All patients with blood pressure readings greater than 120/80 should be encouraged to make lifestyle modifications, such as eating a healthier diet, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise. Treatment with medication is recommended to lower blood pressure to less than 140/90 mmHg. For patients who have diabetes or chronic kidney disease the recommended blood pressure is less than 130/80 mmHg.
Treating high blood pressure involves lifestyle changes and possibly drug therapy.
A critical step in preventing and treating high blood pressure is a healthy lifestyle. You can lower your blood pressure with the following lifestyle changes:
Losing weight if you are overweight or obese.
Quitting smoking.Eating a healthy diet, including the DASH diet (eating more fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy products, less saturated and total fat).
Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet to less than 1,500 milligrams a day.
Getting regular aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day, several days a week).
Limiting alcohol to two drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women.
In addition to lowering blood pressure, these measures enhance the effectiveness of high blood pressure drugs.
more other details
www.kidneydoctor.us
www.bloodpressureconcern.com
www.healthcentral.com