EXPLORING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANXIETY DISORDERS AND HYPERTENSION
Eliud Ngari Muriithi
ABSTRACT
Anxiety disorders and high blood pressure are known to be more related health conditions during adolescence, although the nature of this relationship is not thoroughly synthesized in the adolescent literature. The article analyses the relationship between anxiety disorders and hypertension using the journal style synthesis based on a systematic review on the topic of teenagers, especially in the UK. The review conducted based on peer-reviewed research sources located in Medline, PubMed and ScienceDirect and encompassed adolescents aged 13-19 years old. Observational studies and clinical research, meta-analytic evidence indicate that teens with anxiety have an elevation in systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to their non-anxious counterparts, an increase in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Psychosocial stressors, including academic stress, socioeconomic deprivation, cyberbullying, family instability, lack of sleep, sedentary habits, and unhealthy diet also seem to exacerbate anxiety risk and cardiovascular risk. The evidence also suggests that non-pharmacological treatment particularly cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, physical exercise and sleep can help to reduce anxiety symptoms and also enhance blood pressure outcomes. Though causality is not yet clearly established, the evidence available indicates that there is a significant relationship between persistent anxiety and risk of hypertension in adolescents. The inclusion of mental health screening in the preventative approach to adolescent cardiovascular assessment can thus enhance prevention measures and enhance health outcomes in the long-term.