Benefits and risks of vitamin D supplementation

Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem not only in Poland but also in the world. Studies from previous years indicate its pleiotropic effect and indicate the need for supplementation both in individual risk groups and in the general population. The main sources of cholecalciferol are skin synthesis and intestinal absorption. Vitamin D deficiency adversely affects the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. It is also associated with gastrointestinal, metabolic, cancer and autoimmune diseases. Through the immune system, it also affects the respiratory system. Prophylactic doses should depend on age, body weight, seasonal insolation and sun exposure, as well as individual factors such as diet and lifestyle. Excessive supply of vitamin D can lead to hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria, although it is not known how high doses cause toxic effects. Monitoring the exponents of calcium and phosphate metabolism is the basic method of preventing vitamin D toxicity

Arterial hypertension in children and adolescents

Arterial hypertension is a serious clinical problem in everyday medical practice. It mainly affects adult patients, but is also increasingly common in children and adolescents. Making a diagnosis is possible thanks to systematic measurements of blood pressure during routine medical visits, while maintaining appropriate rules and referring to adequate biological norms - centile charts. Arterial hypertension in children and adolescents may be primary, but much more often than in the adult population, it occurs secondary to diseases of other organs and systems. Early diagnosis of hypertension in the developmental age gives a chance to implement adequate therapy by treating the underlying disease, lifestyle modification or pharmacological treatment. The aim of effective therapy of hypertension is to prevent the occurrence of early and long-term complications of the disease, as well as to reduce the risk of hypertensive emergencies