EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF CHILDHOOD ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Although arterial hypertension is common in the adult population, it also affects the child population. This disease usually develops in children in its secondary form, that is, when some other disease is its precursor. However, it is pertinent to highlight that there is the manifestation of the disease in its primary form, caused by obesity, sedentary lifestyle and inadequate nutrition. Thus, the study aims to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in the Brazilian child population, in order to review the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to the development of this disease. Therefore, the work is an ecological study with children from 0 to 9 years of age from all regions of Brazil, in the years 2013 to 2017. The results show that the majority of hospitalizations and the highest infant mortality in all age groups surveyed are in the Northeast region. In addition, absence of prenatal care or its non-performance in an adequate way, pregnancies without nutritional control and sodium consumption contribute to the development of the disease. Thus, it is concluded that childhood arterial hypertension should be avoided and when present be treated due to the possibility of causing complications that can lead to death.