The norm for upper blood pressure in humans is 120 mm Hg. st, lower - 80 mm Hg. Art. Deviation from this value is not always a violation of the functionality of organs and systems. The specifics of the body, age, height, body weight, lifestyle strongly affect these indicators. Of particular importance is the person's age.
Low blood pressure in teenagers is a serious problem that is often overlooked. In the absence of appropriate treatment, small deviations may develop into a chronic form of arterial hypotension in the future.
What is blood pressure
Blood pressure is the difference in fluid pressure in the cardiovascular system over atmospheric pressure. The indicator is one of the most significant. It determines the state of organs and systems, as well as the body as a whole.
Due to the fact that the blood moves under the influence of the pressure vector in the vessels formed by the heart, the maximum pressure will be in the left ventricle of the heart. A little less - in the arteries, low - in the capillaries.
Meaning of indicators
The human heartis a pulsating pump whose main function is alternating periods of contraction and relaxation.
Systolic (upper value) - pressure in the vessels carrying blood from the heart to the organs during the period when the fibromuscular organ (heart) contracts and pushes the blood out. During the contraction phase (systole), blood is ejected from the left and right ventricles and pumped into the systemic and pulmonary circulations, respectively.
Diastolic (lower value) - pressure displays the resistance of peripheral blood vessels. During the relaxation phase (diastole), the ventricles fill with blood in preparation for the next phase of contraction.
Blood pressure guidelines for teens
Before you can understand why a teenager has low blood pressure, you need to understand what indicators for this age group are the norm.
Various factors such as gender, age have a big impact on blood pressure. In children, the range of indicators is lower than in adults. Optimal for all age groups over seventeen years old is a pressure of 120/80 mm Hg. Art. In order not to be confused with the formulas, average data for teenagers were introduced.
For children 10-12 years old, systolic blood pressure in the range of 110-126 mm Hg is considered normal. Art., diastolic - 70-82 mm Hg. Art. At the age of 13-15 years, the norm of the upper pressure is 110-136, the lower one is 70-86. In adolescents 15-17 years old, systolic and diastolic pressure indicators are 115-140 - 75-95 mm Hg. Art.respectively.
Such standards depend on certain indicators:
- elasticity, from the lumen of the vessels, the development of the capillary web;
- low blood pressure in a teenager of 14-15 years old can be traced during puberty, when the formation of the vascular system lags behind the needs of the body;
- stress associated with the active formation of the psyche (worldview).
Symptoms of low blood pressure
The he alth care system is designed so that the child must undergo medical examination once a year. The rest of the time, the guardians themselves must control the he alth of the children. You can recognize low blood pressure in a teenager by certain signs. They will be fundamental for contacting a specialist:
- Frequent and quick fatigue.
- Tired looking.
- Distracted attention.
- Dizziness.
- Blurred vision.
- Strong or irregular heartbeat.
- Increased thirst.
- Pale skin.
- Shortness of breath.
- Decrease in body temperature.
Insufficient oxygenation of the brain due to low blood pressure leads to a feeling of insecurity of orientation in space, exhaustion, a teenager cannot concentrate. When changing the position of the body, balance is lost, accompanied by bouts of dizziness up to fainting. In medicine, this condition is called orthostatic hypotension.
What is orthostatic pressure reduction
Conditiona person characterized by a lack of blood flow to the main organ of the central nervous system is called orthostatic hypotension. This often occurs during puberty.
Symptoms that often accompany orthostatic collapse are chest pain, urinary problems, dry skin. Causes include lack of blood flow to the brain or delayed heart response to posture modifications.
Factors affecting pressure reduction in adolescents
Hypotension in children is a dangerous condition. The causes of low blood pressure in teenagers can be different. They can be reversible, such as dehydration, or dangerous, such as anemia.
The main reasons include:
- Poorly balanced diet (lack of vitamins, protein foods, iron foods).
- Disregarding the daily routine, lack of sleep.
- Stressful situations.
- Dehydration - A teenager is consuming far less liquid than necessary.
- Drugs that affect the tone of blood vessels.
- Adrenal insufficiency, in which there is a lack of mineralocorticoids.
- Anemia is an abnormally low concentration of red blood cells.
- Bacterial infection.
A 15-year-old teenager may have low blood pressure due to hormonal changes. The male hormone testosterone has a strong effect on the human body and brain. As soon as a young man reaches puberty, the body begins to produce a level of thissubstances. The increased work of the pituitary gland and the release of the hormone into the blood are a strong burden on the body. Under the influence of androgen, the characteristic features of adult men are formed. Teenage boys find it difficult and long to get used to such changes.
All of these reasons are related to functional disorders. There are also organic factors that cause a teenager to have low blood pressure. They are associated with serious he alth problems, and they are trying to identify them as early as possible:
- Disruption of the pituitary gland and thyroid gland (diabetes mellitus)
- Pathologies of the circulatory system: thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, heart disease.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Such disorders pose a dangerous threat to young people, their diagnosis and treatment should be under the strict supervision of doctors.
Prevention of hypotension
Having found out the reasons why a teenager has low blood pressure, what to do, it is already easier to figure it out. If various diseases have become factors in the occurrence of pathology, then drug therapy is prescribed. In all other cases, the pressure is normalized with the help of a he althy diet, reduced stress, physiotherapy.
If a child has psychological problems, you need to talk with him, try to win him over. At the age of 15-17, children finish school and take their first serious independent step. For many high school students, the psyche is not ready for such changes. Low blood pressure in a 16-year-old teenager may be related to stress from these events.
Healing methods: proper nutrition
Young people love fast food, frozen foods. Boys and girls do not know how and do not like to cook. They often order pizza, go to McDonald's or other fast food places. Such food should be, if not eliminated, then minimized. A teenager's diet should include:
- Carbohydrates are needed to provide energy. These organic substances are involved in metabolism, in the structure of DNA and RNA. Porridge with honey is a delicious and nutritious breakfast. Carbohydrates are rich in bread, pasta, whole and crushed grains in the form of cereals.
- Protein will help restore muscle. Hemoglobin is one of the complex proteins. It is responsible for transporting oxygen to the tissues of the body. Its deficiency leads to hypotension. The main sources of proteins are beef, fatty fish, legumes, nuts.
- Fruit is one of the few foods that successfully combines taste and invaluable benefits. Fruits contain a large amount of vitamins, have antimicrobial properties, remove toxins, lower cholesterol. High blood cholesterol is especially dangerous in adolescence.
Often girls eat very little. Afraid of gaining extra pounds, young ladies refuse to eat. Anorexia appears, which accompanies most diseases. In adolescents 16 years old, low blood pressure may be due to lack of appetite syndrome.
Daily routine
The life of a high school student should notis only about learning. Otherwise, she will become a burden to him. Constant excessive stress can cause serious harm to the psyche. It is advisable to observe the regimen: lie down and get up at the same time. If necessary, add daytime sleep, but not to the detriment of nighttime sleep.
After class, you need to teach your teenager to eat. It is advisable to eat in the company of a parent, at this time you can ask the child about the news at school. Sharing his experiences and emotions, a young man unloads the psyche, reducing stress and depression to a minimum.
Short walks in the park improve mood. And clean air will help normalize low blood pressure in a teenager. Active rest improves the functioning of systems and organs of the body. Physical activity should be moderate and not be a burden to the child.
Treating hypotension with physiotherapy
Complex therapy aimed at normalizing pressure includes physiotherapy. They have a healing effect of natural, artificially developed and natural factors on the body. The procedures are specialized in the prevention and recovery of various disorders of the central nervous system, musculoskeletal system, internal organs and systems. The following methods are used to treat hypotension:
- Various types of massage of the hands, collar area, calf muscles.
- Iontophoresis (a procedure in which the body is exposed to electrical impulses) with magnesium sulfate, phenylephrine.
- Jet shower: fan, circular.
- Infusion bathspeppermint, juniper.
Physiotherapy effectively and quickly restores pressure.
Teenage hypotension is not a death sentence
Low blood pressure in a teenager from 15 to 17 years old is a common problem. A child with symptoms of hypotension should initially have a medical evaluation. Timely diagnosis of the disease will help to avoid its transition to a chronic form. With functional causes, treatment should be carried out comprehensively so that there are no relapses in the future.
