There are a number of factors that contribute to blood pressure rates, including rest and activity, temperature, diet, medications and emotions. While hypertension, or high blood pressure, is more common among adults, according to the Nemours Foundation, about 1 to 3 percent of young people (under the age of 18) have the condition.
Genetics
Teens with a family history of hypertension are more likely to exhibit higher-than-normal blood pressure readings than their peers. Doctors typically measure abnormalities over a course of time and average the readings of three blood pressure tests. Teens with readings higher than the 95th percentile average range are considered to have high blood pressure, and those in the 90th to 95th percentiles are considered on the high side of normal (prehypertension). Children with a family history of high blood pressure should be checked regularly, maintain a healthy weight and avoid high-stress lifestyles.
Obesity
Teens who are overweight are more likely to have high blood pressure than those with healthy body weights. Lack of exercise and overeating put additional stress on the heart, which must work harder to pump the blood through the system. Over time, the heart and arteries can become damaged, leading to hypertension and other serious complications.
Diseases
Various diseases cause high blood pressure in teens. When hypertension is a result of another illness, it is called secondary high blood pressure. Diseases that often create the environment for high blood pressure to develop include kidney disease, underdeveloped aortas, hormonal disorders and narrow arteries.
Emotional
Many younger people become anxious when visiting a doctor and may exhibit unusually high blood pressure readings in the physician's office. False readings can be avoided by allowing a parent in the room when the blood pressure readings are being taken or allowing the teen to sit in a relaxing environment for a time. When high blood pressure readings are revealed, doctors at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh often allow the teen to rest for a while and take the reading again when he is calmer.
Treatment
According to experts at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, fewer than 1 percent of teens with high blood pressure require medications to control their hypertension. Lifestyle changes that include increased exercise, diet and weight loss can help most teens get their blood pressure levels under control. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute reports that high blood pressure is on the rise in direct proportion to rising obesity levels in young people. By making the changes as a young adult, teens can prevent heart disease as an adult.
