Hypertension linked to learning disabilities and ADHD in children

Wednesday May 6, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- High blood pressure may lead to learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, according to a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Society meeting Tuesday in Baltimore, MD.

The University of Rochester Medical Center study found that hypertensive children were four times more likely to have learning disabilities and/or ADHD that those with normal blood pressure, and also more likely to have a higher body mass index.

"Clinicians should be aware that these conditions commonly occur together," said Marc Lande, M.D., a pediatric nephrologist at the University of Rochester Medical Center and author of the study. "More studies investigating the potential association between hypertension and neurocognitive deficits are definitely needed."

Dr. Lande earlier published in the Journal of Pediatrics another study this year which showed that children with high blood pressure are not as competent in dealing with complicated, goal-directed tasks, and have more memory problems than those without hypertension.

He found that children who were both hypertensive and obese were also more likely than others to have anxiety and depression.

The current study of 100 children with high blood pressure and 101 without found that nearly 28 percent of children with hypertension had a learning disability, and 20 percent had ADHD.

Dr. Lande points out, "This apparent association between hypertension and learning problems is particularly important in light of the recent increase in hypertension in children in this country that has occurred as a result of the dramatic rise in obesity."

(By David Liu and edited by Heather kelley)