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Taking a look at blood pressure should begin in childhood so good habits can be instilled, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Arm position is just one factor when it comes to obtaining an accurate blood pressure reading. That’s according to Tammy Brady, author of a Johns Hopkins study finding that both supporting the arm and positioning it are important. She notes that obtaining accurate readings is a practice that needs to begin in childhood, especially in those with a family history of high blood pressure.

Brady: We as pediatricians have this unbelievable opportunity to make a difference in adult diseases by preventing or educating and helping empower people to live and learn how to use healthy behaviors. It's easier to learn a good behavior than to unlearn a bad behavior, so we as pediatricians really have this great opportunity to make a difference in that space. And so it's been a natural progression for me to go from pediatric hypertension to now the cardiovascular health promotion.  :28

Brady advocates for a comprehensive approach to initiating and sustaining practices that make avoiding high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease more likely. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.