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Risk Factors of Heart Disease in Children in Indianapolis


Children, like adults can also be at the receiving end of heart disease. But, most risk factors that affect children can be controlled early in life, lowering the risk of heart disease later in life. You would be surprised to know that heart disease is not a major cause of death among children and teenagers, but it is the largest cause of death among adults in the United States, in fact, someone in America dies every 37 seconds from some form of cardiovascular disease. Some of the risk factors include

1.      High blood pressure
2.      High cholesterol
3.      Smoking
4.      Obesity
5.      Physical inactivity

Remember, some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. Even many risk factors can be controlled early in life thus lowering the risk for heart disease later in life. The best way to deal with cardiac emergencies is by undergoing CPR training in an accredited training center such as the AHA certified CPR Indianapolis. There are courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers. If you are an advanced healthcare provider looking to learn the child CPR techniques, the most appropriate program to go for is a PALS class Indianapolis. The program fee is $297. 

High Blood Pressure in Children- High blood pressure (hypertension) in children is not a congenital heart disease, but it can have a hereditary link. Most such cases in children are the result of another disease, like heart or kidney disease. This is called secondary hypertension. Blood pressure in children is measured using a device called a sphygmomanometer. Doctors look at a child’s age, sex, and height to determine the specific systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Lifestyle changes in children can help manage blood pressure.

Cholesterol- As per studies, fatty plaque buildup begins in childhood and progresses into adulthood. This disease process is called atherosclerosis which leads to heart disease, which is the single biggest cause of death in the United States. High cholesterol runs in families, in some cases, which is called familial hypercholesterolemia. Learn more about ways to prevent or treat high cholesterol. 

Smoking- Nearly 25% of high school students use some kind of tobacco product, and nearly 4,000 kids under age 18 try their first cigarette every day- as per the Centers for Disease Control. More than 90,000 people die each year from heart diseases caused by smoking. Cigarette smoking may cause as many as 75 percent of the cases of heart disease.

Obesity- Obesity is a major risk factor with 1 out of every 3 American adults being obese. As per the latest studies, obesity is linked to more than 110,000 deaths in the United States each year.
For your knowledge, obesity means that you have too much body fat. Obese children may have 5 times more fat cells than children of normal weight. Body Mass Index (BMI) provides a guideline based on weight and height to determine underweight and overweight. BMI can help you determine body fat in your children.

Contact CPR Indianapolis for more information or join a program.
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