Paediatric hypertension: Time to sound the alarm CREDIT: MedPage Today
ResearchersESEARCHERS have raised alarm over rising cases of hypertension among teenagers and adolescents especially those in secondary schools across the nation.
In fact, several studies concluded that the prevalence of hypertension in Nigerian children is high and appears to be increasing and there is need for routine Blood Pressure (BP) and urinalysis check for all children in especially those in clinics and wards.
Indeed, studies suggest a high prevalence of elevated blood pressure among children and adolescents in Africa, with overweight and obesity being an important risk factor. They say efforts to address this burden of elevated blood pressure in children and adolescents should mainly focus on primary prevention at the community level, by promoting healthy lifestyles and avoiding other cardiovascular risk factors, especially overweight and obesity.