Testing Sodium Content in Children's Urine Can Determine Risk of High Blood Pressure

Researchers of a new study found that testing the sodium content in a child's urine can help doctors identify the risk of high blood pressure later in life.

Sixty seven million American adults, accounting for 31 percent of the United States population, have high blood pressure. This condition increases the risk for heart disease and strokes, leading causes of death in the country. Out of this 67 million, approximately 36 million American adults with high blood pressure do not have it under control.

In a new study, researchers found that testing the sodium content in a child's urine can help doctors identify risk of high blood pressure later in life. The study was conducted on 19 children aged between 10 and 19. The children were screened using a new protocol to check the sodium content in their urine. Researchers found that eight children who had problems excreting sodium from their body also showed signs of high blood pressure.

"Hypertension is no longer an adult disease," said Gregory Harshfield, Ph.D., study senior researcher and director of the Institute of the Georgia Prevention Center at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Ga. "The results of this test could also provide useful information that could help pediatricians better manage and treat hypertension in their patients."

Problems regarding excretion of sodium from the body usually occur during times of stress. Most children are nervous while visiting doctors. Therefore, all study participants were asked to provide urine samples both before and after the doctor's visit. Retaining sodium in the body leads to retention of some fluids in the body that leads to blood pressure discrepancy.

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