What is a likely reason for a significant deviation in blood pressure readings in infants compared to adults?

Infants have significantly different physiological characteristics compared to adults, particularly in terms of size and age. These factors influence how blood pressure is measured and interpreted. Blood pressure is related to the vascular resistance and cardiac output, which can be significantly different in smaller bodies.

In infants, their smaller blood vessels, lower body weight, and less developed cardiovascular systems result in lower blood pressure readings overall. This means that what is considered a normal or healthy blood pressure for an adult cannot simply be applied to an infant, as their body structure doesn't support the same pressures due to their developmental stage. Understanding these differences is crucial for assessing the health of pediatric patients accurately.

In contrast, differences in body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate can certainly influence other physiological readings, but they do not account for the fundamental variations in blood pressure primarily driven by the size and age of infants. These physiological differences must be understood in the context of pediatric care to provide age-appropriate patient assessments.