Routine testing key to nipping hypertension in the bud

A diet rich in salt and fat and a more sedentary lifestyle has resulted in one in 20 youngsters in Greece being diagnosed with high blood pressure, according to experts on World Hypertension Day, on May 17, who call for more vigorous testing.

“For most children, high blood pressure will go away if they get more exercise, eat a healthier diet and lose some weight,” says Stella Stabouli, a pediatrician and HyperChildNET board member.

According to recent European guidelines, a blood pressure test should be included in routine checkups for all children after the age of 3. “Pediatricians increasingly check blood pressure, but most parents are shocked to learn that their children have hypertension,” she adds.

Grownups also need to be more aware, as 30% of adult Greeks are thought to have high blood pressure, with 30% of those going undiagnosed, according to the Hellenic Society of Cardiology.