High BP in Teens and Adolescents

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension is a significant health concern as it may predispose people to develop a greater number of diseases. Although mostly complained about by adults, high blood pressure can be experienced by teens and adolescents too. When your heart and arteries need to exert more pressure than ordinary to pump blood through your body, you can be said to be suffering from Hypertension. All this extra stress can be extremely damaging for both your heart and arteries. Kidney, brain, and eyesight health can also be compromised. Hypertension increases heart attack, stroke, and heart failure risks.

How to tell if a person has high BP?

Hypertension can lie undetected in an individual for years. Certain signs and symptoms can let the cat out of the bag, though. Here are some of these signs that may indicate high blood pressure in a person –

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Nosebleeds

• Headaches

• Vision changes

How is it diagnosed?

Practicing doctors can diagnose high BP in a person when their blood pressure is over the average normal recorded in humans i.e. 80-120 BPM. If a person registers BP i.e., 140/90 and more, he/she is suffering from Hypertension. Your BP is a measure of your systolic and diastolic pressure. The first digit shows systolic BP, where the corresponding digits indicate the diastolic pressure in your body.

The procedure is a little different when it comes to hypertension diagnosis is those younger. If more than 95% of their peers in the same age-height-weight-gender range have a lower blood pressure than them, they are diagnosed with Hypertension.

Blood pressure is measured thrice before diagnosing Hypertension or hypotension. Adolescents with pre-hypertension usually grow up to develop Hypertension in their adulthood.

Primary Causes of Hypertension

Hypertension is of two types. The Primary type is present of its own without any separate causal factor, and the Secondary type usually has another pre-existing condition to blame for it. For eg: Secondary hypertension results from kidney disease or thyroid.

Here are some other causes that could develop Hypertension –

• A sedate lifestyle

• Obesity

• Excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption

• Illicit drug usage

• Certain medications such as steroids

• Stress

• High salt consumption

• Premature birth

Final Words

Doctors ask about a person's medical history, family health, eating and exercise habits, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and a host of other things before they diagnose Hypertension. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to rely on the BP readings itself as the patient walking into the clinic becomes anxious and their BP shoots up as a result. Doctors may, therefore, take weight readings, blood/urine tests and apply whatever methods they see fit to make an accurate diagnosis. Hypertension doesn't have a cure, but it can be managed with a proper diet and exercise routine. Bringing about healthy changes into one's lifestyle goes a long way in mitigating the associated health risks hypertension is notorious for.

Phoenix Medical Clinic diagnoses and helps treat High Blood Pressure in individuals of all age. If you suspect your child has Hypertension, walk into our clinic, and get a professional opinion at the soonest to make the most of early treatment.

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