The Child's Doctor articles
The Child’s Doctor, Journal of Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago
The Child’s Doctor is published by Children’s Memorial Hospital twice a year for community-based physicians. The journal offers continuing medical education (CME) through articles authored by Children’s Memorial’s physicians. It also includes news articles on research at Children’s Memorial. Read the latest issue of The Child’s Doctor here.
Articles on topics in pediatric cardiology:
Diagnosing Hypertension in Children and Adolescents by Amy D. Shah, MD Published Fall 2008
Hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs in approximately 2%–5% of the pediatric population, and primary hypertension is becoming more common with the increasing prevalence of obesity in school aged children and adolescents. Even prehypertensive blood pressure ranges in adolescence more than double the risk of hypertension in adulthood, which underscores the importance of incorporating blood pressure checks in routine pediatric care, early detection of elevated blood pressure and prompt treatment.
Cardiac Assessment for Children with ADHD by Catherine L. Webb, MD Published Fall 2008
Treatment for ADHD centers primarily on stimulants. Stimulant drugs have been shown to increase or decrease heart rate and systolic blood pressure to a clinically insignificant degree. However, in some case reports, use of these medications has been associated with sudden cardiac death in pediatric ADHD patients. This article will summarize helpful points for general pediatricians who are currently evaluating patients with ADHD needing medication, since conditions that are associated with sudden cardiac arrest/death in children are often subtle and may be missed when an ADHD drug is being considered.
Evaluation of Heart Murmurs in Primary Care by Stephen Pophal, MD (no longer at Children’s Memorial Hospital) Published Spring 2006
As many as 30% to 75% of children prior to the age of 18 years have been noted to have a heart murmur. Congenital heart disease occurs in 6 to 8 out of 1000 cases with a murmur. Since the large majority of heart murmurs do not represent underlying pathology, the primary care physician needs to know well the innocent murmurs, in order to distinguish them from the pathologic.
Initial Workup for Syncope in Children by Sabrina Tsao, MBBS, MRCP (UK) Published Spring 2006
Syncope is a relatively common, but complex presenting symptom, defined as "a sudden loss of consciousness associated with the inability to maintain postural tone, followed by spontaneous recovery." Specific questions should be asked to help differentiate cardiac causes of syncope from neuropsychogenic and metabolic conditions that can cause a similar symptom. The evaluation starts with a detailed history, physical examination and an electrocardiogram (ECG). Certain "red flags" in the history deserve a more urgent referral to cardiology for additional evaluation, whereas simple vasodepressor syncope can be managed in primary care.
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