HYPERTENSION

Hypertension is defined as the arterial blood pressure above the 95 percent with reference to age and sex. Blood pressure is easily influenced physical activity, anxiety, and emotions. Since many cases of high blood pressure are asymptomatic and the blood pressure is the only moderately elevated, it is difficult to estimate the true causes of hypertension. In children blood pressure is measured by ausculatatory method and blood pressure cuff should cover 3rd of the length of the arm as well as 3rd of the circumference above the elbow. Children destined to develop essential hypertension as adult belong to the group which is around 90 percent or above as indicated by tracking studies. Some common causes of persistent and transient hypertension are intrinsic renal disease, renovascular causes, endocrine causes, poliomyelitis etc.Symptoms attributed to hypertension include headache, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, irritability.With severe hypertension patients may go into hypertensive crisis and present with visual disturbances, convolusions, nerve palsies and other neurologic defects. Weight loss due to a hyper metabolic state, attack of headache, sweating indicate the possibility of hypertension. In order to avoid hypertension ,it is necessary to undertake diagnostic studies like urinalysis, renal function, renal biopsy, x-ray of chest,renogram. All the hypertension patients should be given potassium supplements .Since hypertension is likely to be a lifelong problem ,an attempt should be made to change the life style of the patient. A diet low in salt and animal proteins combined with reduction in weight may be able to control hypertension.