High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects almost one in
three adults in the United States. However, this serious health
condition isn't limited to just those ages 18 and older. The
number of children and adolescents with high blood pressure is
increasing. This rise can be partly blamed on the increasing
number of overweight and obese children. High blood pressure is
a major risk factor for heart disease and is the primary risk
factor for stroke. Prehypertension is a condition that increases
a child's risk of developing high blood pressure in the future.
Children with hypertension have a higher risk for high blood
pressure as adults. High blood pressure in childhood is also
correlated with early development of atherosclerosis in
adulthood. Systolic pressure is the top number in a blood
pressure reading and corresponds to the pressure in arteries
when the heart contracts. Diastolic pressure is the bottom
number in a blood pressure reading, and corresponds to the
pressure in the arteries between heart beats,