High arterial pressure on the verge of hypertension, as a result of the modern lifestyle, every twentieth children in our country. An unhealthy diet that prioritizes foods high in salt, as opposed to vegetables and fruits that are not included in the daily diet, and lack of physical activity have led to an increase in the child population with high blood pressure in the past three decades. And a child with high blood pressure means a greater likelihood of developing degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease in early adulthood. The recommendations of experienced scientists and organizations are unequivocal: blood pressure measurement by a pediatrician as a routine check, starting from infancy and moving on to healthy habits.

“In recent years, there has been increased attention to this problem, and more and more pediatricians check blood pressure in children. However, at the level of the general population, most families are unaware of this, and many parents “fall out of the blue” when we tell them that their child has high blood pressure. points to “K” Deputy Professor of Pediatrics – Pediatric Nephrology AUTH, -1st Pediatric Clinic, Hippocrates of Thessaloniki-, President of the Working Group for Children of the European Society of Hypertension and Member of the Board of Directors. European program for the prevention of arterial hypertension in children HyperChildNET, Stella Stamboulis.

According to Ms. Stampulis, based on measurements in schools around the world, it has been estimated that about 5% of children, on average, have high blood pressure. In our country, a relatively recent study conducted in Northern Greece using a mercury sphygmomanometer, which is considered the most accurate and used for research purposes, showed that the percentage of children with arterial hypertension is 4.5%.

These indicators relate only to essential hypertension, which is associated with the lifestyle of the child. Ms. Stambouli states that “often the cause of arterial hypertension in children is an underlying disease and mainly kidney disease. In these cases, we are talking about secondary arterial hypertension. However, the one that shows an increase in recent decades and worries us is idiopathic hypertension, which is associated with lifestyle: increased weightconsumption of large amounts of food and products with a large salt, which can reach up to eight times the recommended amount, as well as a small intake of fruits and vegetables, which have a beneficial effect on blood pressure. Lack of exercise and physical activity is also a risk factor, and of course there is a hereditary profile. Thus, a child who belongs to a family with a predisposition due to genes linked to hypertension, and at the same time leads an unhealthy lifestyle, has a high chance of developing hypertension.

Early diagnosis

Essential hypertension has no symptoms. According to the professor, it has a subclinical course and can affect the heart, brain, blood vessels and kidneys, and these consequences can manifest as degenerative diseases in adulthood. The best way to prevent this development is early diagnosis of hypertension and regulation of blood pressure, which in most cases simply requires a change in the child’s habits. In their latest European directives European Society of Hypertension, includes the measurement of blood pressure in children from the age of 3 as a routine check, while the obligation to record blood pressure in the student’s Individual Health Card is also characterized as positive. Regarding the treatment of this condition, Ms. Stampoulis emphasizes that “the first approach for children with mild symptoms is lifestyle modification. Exercise, eat healthy, lose weight if you are obese. In most children, with a healthy lifestyle, blood pressure indicators decrease. In cases of severe hypertension, it is treated in special centers, possibly with medication.”

Message “Measure Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer” by EODY, Hellenic Society of Cardiology and Hellenic Society of Hypertension on occasion May 17 World Hypertension Day and “May Blood Pressure Month” (a global program of the International Society of Hypertension). It is estimated that more than 1/3 of Greek adults and almost half of the elderly suffer from hypertension. 30% of hypertensive patients are not diagnosed, while less than 1/3 of hypertensive patients achieve good control with drug therapy.

global goal

“More than half of patients with hypertension either have poor control of hypertension or don’t even know they are hypertensive,” notes the Hellenic Society of Cardiology. “One of the global targets set for noncommunicable diseases is to reduce the premature deaths they cause by 33% by 2030. Reducing the incidence of hypertension will make a significant contribution to achieving this goal. National Public Health Organization.

Numbers

5% children and adolescents around the world have high blood pressure.

1.28 billion people aged 30 to 79 suffer from hypertension.

4.5% children in our country have high blood pressure (study in Northern Greece).

3 million adults in Greece suffer from hypertension.

thirty% arterial hypertension is not diagnosed.

thirty% hypertensive patients have achieved good control with the help of drug therapy.