Blood Pressure: What’s 'Normal' and When Should You Check It?

Q. What's normal blood pressure for me? I'm a multitasking mom, 43, with one kid in college and a 3-year-old (second marriage!). What's the right age to start checking blood pressure?
-- Maura, via e-mail

A. Has your 3-year-old's blood pressure been checked yet? How about your college kid's? If not, get it done. No, we YOU Docs haven't lost it. Neither of your kids is too young to have their blood pressure monitored, and you definitely aren't! Normal blood pressure for you should be on the low side -- a healthy 115/76 -- so you and your kids can spend a lifetime together. (Here's a 101 on high blood pressure for all of you.)

While hypertension is considered an adult problem, it can happen at any age -- and the effects of high blood pressure can be devastating, so the earlier you catch and treat it, the better. That's not just an internist (Dr. Mike) and a cardiac surgeon (Dr. Oz) talking. The American Academy of Pediatrics totally agrees. High blood pressure that starts in childhood and continues for years causes changes in blood vessel walls that can damage the kidneys, eyes, and other organs, and lead to heart failure or stroke.

An impressive new study just underlined this in neon pink. It followed 19,000 Harvard students for decades. Those who entered college with elevated or already high blood pressure were much more likely to have fatal cardiovascular problems later on. They had a 14% increased risk of death from coronary heart disease and an 8% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Imagine if that were your college kid.

What causes high blood pressure in youngsters? Childhood obesity tops the list (here are three ways to keep tabs on that), but about 5% of kids have elevated blood pressure for no clear reason. Regardless, it needs to be spotted and controlled with diet, exercise, and possibly medications -- just the way it is in adults. (Soda doesn't help your blood pressure, or that of your children, but blueberries do!)

Lowering blood pressure in young kids and young adults could have a huge pay-off later on: It could save their lives. The same is true for you, too.

Changing this on your alarm clock could help keep your blood pressure healthy.