Causes and Treatments of Pediatric Hypertension

An experienced family physician, Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, has shared her expertise as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina's Chapel Hill School of Medicine since 2007. Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, also has lectured and presented on such pediatric health topics as high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, most often occurs in younger children as a secondary medical condition. Kidney disease stands out as the most common cause, though some children develop secondary hypertension as a result of a congenital heart defect, hormonal disorder, or genetic condition.

For older children, hypertension is often a primary condition, and its cause is typically unknown. Family predisposition may play a role in these cases, though obesity can be a significant contributing factor. High cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood sugar levels also increase a child's risk of developing primary hypertension.

For many children with high blood pressure, lifestyle changes such as increased exercise and a healthful diet can lower blood pressure. Some may require supplemental medication, and any primary conditions that cause hypertension must be addressed as well.

NC Medical Society Foundation Community Practitioner Program

As a physician and adjunct professor, Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, works to improve medical care and medical education in the greater North Carolina area. Dedicated to improving care in rural areas in her community, Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, is affiliated with the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation.

The North Carolina Medical Society Foundation represents a partnership between physicians and allied professionals all over the state of North Carolina. These men and women are dedicated to improving healthcare for every citizen of North Carolina, primarily by improving access to care.

This goal is carried out in part through the Community Practitioner Program. This program works to identify and recruit talented doctors to serve the rural communities in North Carolina. It also helps retain these doctors, encouraging them to remain in previously underserved areas.

To date, this program has provided more than $350 million worth of medical care to uninsured and under-insured community members. Thanks to donations from local physicians and charitable trusts, an additional $2.5 million is available to support community healthcare each year.

What is an Accountable Care Organization?

As an independent medical consultant, Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, provides medical advice to people in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area. She previously worked as a physician at Raleigh Family Practice, treating patients that ranged in age from newborn to 95 years old. An active participant in the medical community, Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, is involved with the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS). She worked with the NCMS to further its Accountable Care Organization initiative (ACO).

The purpose of the initiative is to create an ACO comprised of healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinics in rural areas in North Carolina. Overseen by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, ACOs band together on a volunteer basis to streamline their processes and care programs. The ideal result is that all patients under ACO providers receive the right treatment at the right time with no duplicated efforts or errors. Currently, Medicare offers three different ACO programs: the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the Advance Payment ACO Model, and the Pioneer ACO Model. The Medicare Shared Savings Program is the only one of the three that accepts applicants on an ongoing basis.

To learn more about ACOs and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, visit goo.gl/wPvKpd.

The Wake County Medical Society Community Health Foundation

Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, serves as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill while concurrently working as an independent consultant. As part of her commitment to patient well-being, Margaret Kelly Burkhead, MD, is affiliated with both the Wake County Medical Society and the Wake County Medical Society Community Health Foundation.

The Wake County Medical Society is a network of physicians who are dedicated to improving health care for their patients in North Carolina. The society focuses on increasing access to care, improving quality of care, and reducing the cost of medical treatment for patients. More than 500 Wake County physicians have joined together to become advocates for the men and women they treat.

The Community Health Foundation is an offshoot of the Medical Society itself. It was organized as a tool for physicians, allowing them to fund and carry out important projects within the community. Current programs run by the foundation include Project Access, Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties, and CapitalCare Collaborative, all of which work to serve patients from disadvantaged backgrounds.