Pediatric Hypertension
Hypertension in children and adolescents is a growing health problem. In persons three to 18 years of age, the prevalence of prehypertension is 3.4 percent and the prevalence of hypertension is 3.6 percent. The combined prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension in adolescents who are obese is greater than 30 percent in boys and is 23 to 30 percent in girls.2 High blood pressure in childhood commonly leads to hypertension in adulthood,3 and adult hypertension is the leading cause of premature death around the world.4 Children with hypertension may have evidence of target organ damage, including left ventricular hypertrophy and pathologic vascular changes.5,6 Primary hypertension in children is also commonly associated with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus.7,8 Despite the high prevalence and potential risks of hypertension in children, physicians often do not recognize the condition in this population. In one study, hypertension was diagnosed in only 26 percent of children with documented high blood pressure in an electronic medical record.1 Normal blood pressure values in children vary by age, sex, and height; therefore, increased awareness about how to diagnose and treat hypertension in children is needed to combat this increasingly common condition.