Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comStudy casts wider net for risky blood pressure in kids
Seeded on Fri Sep 9, 2011 6:08 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
— Filed under: health
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I tend to agree with Dr. Furberg.
It's my experience that many MDs are too quick to prescribe BP meds, rather than work with the patient on healthier (my opinion) alternatives. I was diagnosed with moderate hypertension a while ago (Avg. BP: 150/92). While my 'doc immediately wanted me to go on meds, he agreed to work with me first on non-med alternatives. So, I did DASH (diet alteration to reduce sodium & promote potassium, magnesium, etc), a bit more exercise, some supplements (Hawthorn extract, Coenzyme Q10, etc) and some work on stress reduction. Going this route takes time. It took 3 months for my circulatory system to show improvement. After another 2 months: my BP is now fine - less than 128/75.
In my case the culprits that contributed to my elevated BP were many: I loved salt, I was deliberately not eating BP friendly foods, consumed way too much caffeine and was often a bit dehydrated. Right: I was eating like a teenager. Problem is, I'm in my 50s.
I believe we hear all the time how many of our school kids are getting more stressed, eating poorly and not getting adequate exercise. So, when I read that a growing number of kids are now showing elevated BP I'm not too surprised - but I am quite concerned.
I guess the point I want to make: I feel it's foolish & dangerous to put children on BP meds before trying the other non-drug options. The non-drug options directly address what's usually contributing to high BP - plus these options promote overall good health.
Heck, is there even any long term medical trial data yet that indicates it's actually a good idea - over the long term - to put kids on BP meds?? It just makes no sense to me to put a kid on BP meds while allowing them to continue the bad diet & exercise habits that add to their higher BP. But, in effect, this is the very thing my 'doc wanted to do at first: just prescribe me some BP meds & send me out the door so I could continue trying to live like a teenager. Luckily, my 'doc was willing to listen to me an work with me. I believe many doctors are more than willing to do the same.
Agreed. But I think it's foolish and dangerous to put ANYONE on blood pressure medication before trying non-drug options, unless their blood pressure is really in the critical range.
Like you said, CoQ10 and Hawthorn are great supplements for high blood pressure (HBP) (I'm just going off of research - I've had extremely low blood pressure my whole life, so I was told to practically snort salt!), and calcium, potassium, fish oil, and garlic (definitely not a struggle if you're Italian like me!) are also great for HBP, as well as general health, as most Americans today are deficient in potassium, fish oil is like a multi-vitamin for your brain, and garlic boosts immunity. Steroids, alcohol, and NSAIDs can raise your blood pressure, too.
Yoga is a great exercise to help lower blood pressure, as well as just being well for your mental well-being. Relaxation breathing is helpful, too.
Again, I'm not a doctor and have no medical training. This is just based on what I've researched in the past twenty minutes.
Rather than treating children pharmacologically why not start prescribing the Transcendental Meditation technique that has been shown to significantly reduce systolic pressure in borderline hypertensive teenagers (see for example; Barnes, V.A. et al. American Journal
of Hypertension 17: 366-369, 2004.
Why not start feeding children real food and letting them exercise? Pre-Pre-Hypertension? At what point do people understand that it's all about drug money?