When it comes to hypertension, many people think of it as a middle-aged and elderly disease. In fact, hypertension is not the "patent" of adults. In recent years, more and more children suffer from hypertension. So, what is the cause of hypertension in children? How to prevent?
Genetic factors play an important role in children's hypertension. Therefore, if either parent has hypertension, children will become the key prevention targets. In addition, children's obesity is also a major reason. Obese children who exceed 15% of the standard weight are at risk of hypertension.
In the dietary survey of children with high blood pressure, it was found that 60% - 70% of children preferred to eat foods with high salt, high sugar, high fat, low calcium, low magnesium, low vitamins and low cellulose.
Therefore, measures to prevent childhood obesity are mainly to control over nutrition and increase physical activity. In terms of diet, children who are 2 years old should drink low-fat milk, especially obese children; Older children should limit sweet food, not drink sugary drinks, prohibit fried and high-fat foods, and encourage them to eat more vegetables, fruits and coarse grains. Children should also be trained to eat a light diet from an early age. For adults, the daily salt should be less than 5 grams, while for children, it should be reduced to less than 1/3 of adults; Choose foods rich in calcium and potassium, because both calcium and potassium can lower blood pressure.
Adequate sleep is very helpful to prevent hypertension. Therefore, children should not be allowed to develop the habit of staying up late like adults and limit their TV watching time. Even if your child's blood pressure is found to exceed the normal standard, don't make a fuss to avoid causing tension, and don't abuse antihypertensive drugs. The treatment of hypertension emphasizes individualization, and children have their own unique drug use characteristics. It is not allowed to copy the adult's treatment. Children should be taken to see a doctor, who will develop a treatment plan.
Zhang Guoqing, Second Department of Critical Care Medicine, Hunan Children's Hospital
