High blood pressure has been linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular problems, but there’s new evidence that the heart might not be the only organ harmed by hypertension. A recent study published in The Journal of Pediatrics found that children with high blood pressure performed worse on cognitive function tests than their peers with normal blood pressure.
The study consisted of 150 children ages 10 to 18. 75 of the children in the study had high blood pressure, and 75 had normal blood pressure. Children were matched by age, race, obesity levels, and maternal education, and testing took place at four sites in three states to control for confounding variables. Researchers found that the children in the high blood pressure group performed worse than their peers on tests of memory, processing speed, and verbal skills.
It’s important to note that all test scores for children in the high blood pressure group were still within the normal range, and there’s no evidence that hypertension has a direct impact on cognitive function in childhood. However, the study does highlight the need for more research into the ways in which high blood pressure affects childhood development, as well as more efforts to curb hypertension in children.
How Might Hypertension Affect Cognitive Ability?
This recent study isn’t the first one to suggest that blood pressure is linked to cognitive function. Previous research has shown that adults with hypertension perform worse than their peers with normal blood pressure on cognitive function tests, including tests of:
- Learning and memory
- Abstract reasoning
- Executive function
- Attention
- Visuospatial, psychomotor, and perceptual reasoning
These test results could in part be due to a reduction in cerebral blood flow. High blood pressure makes it more difficult for blood to flow through arteries and reach the brain. This means that the brain is receiving high-pressure blood, which could have a damaging effect on the parts of the brain involved in cognition.
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| Regular blood pressure checks are important for keeping tabs on blood pressure levels. Source: cdc.gov |
What’s Next?
Although more research is needed to better understand how hypertension may affect cognition, there are steps that pediatricians and parents can begin taking now to combat the potentially detrimental effects of high blood pressure in children.
In a 2012 letter published in American Family Physician, doctors Margaret Riley and Brian Bluhm recommend that doctors check children’s blood pressure at every office visit, beginning at age three. They also recommend that doctors evaluate children diagnosed with hypertension for additional risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. Doctors should also advise children and teens to lower high blood pressure by making appropriate lifestyle changes, such as exercising regularly, eating a low-sodium diet, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco.
By encouraging children to take steps to control their blood pressure at a young age, doctors and parents can hopefully prevent some of the long-term negative effects associated with hypertension.
