As a geriatrician, I focus my efforts on those who are 65 years old and beyond. As a family physician, I care for any and all without restriction. However, I don't usually think of hypertension when I see younger patients. I was reminded of this last month as I participated in pre-participation exams, otherwise known as high school physicals, and had to send a few student-athletes back to their primary care provider with elevated blood pressures >140/90.
Perhaps I wouldn't have been so surprised if I had read the recent results of ADD Health (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health) which found 19% of 15,701 participants 24-32yo to have blood pressure >140/90. While this could be considered a fluke compared to the 4% finding from 14,252 participants in NHANES III (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), both noted similar self-reported hypertension (11% vs 9%). Mean blood pressure was higher, too, in this new survey (125/79mm Hg vs 114/67mm Hg), consistent with steady increase in obesity.
The longer one has (uncontrolled) hypertension, the greater one's risk for stroke, kidney failure (leading to dialysis and/or transplant), and heart failure. Thus, the potential implications of ADD Health are tremendous. First, we need to more aggressively screen & monitor blood pressure, even in our asymptomatic & presumably healthy young. Second, we need to more aggressively treat those found to have pre-hypertension or hypertension, perhaps not necessarily with medications, but at least with lifestyle modification and close & continued follow up.
That day I was pretty scared because for some reason my blood pressure was higher than normal, maybe too much salt and stress combined. I went to the doctor for High Blood Pressure Treatment they gave me Levodyn and now my numbers are in the 120's and 60's/low 70's.
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