Therapeutic Options for the Treatment of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents

Primary hypertension in children is increasing in prevalence with many cases likely going undiagnosed. The prevalence is currently estimated at between 3%-5% in the United States and may be higher in certain ethnic groups. Primary hypertension, once felt to be rare in children, is now considered to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mary M. Stephens MD, MPH, Beth A. Fox MD, MPH, Lisa Maxwell MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2012-01-01
Series:Clinical Medicine Insights: Circulatory, Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4137/CCRPM.S7602
Description
Summary:Primary hypertension in children is increasing in prevalence with many cases likely going undiagnosed. The prevalence is currently estimated at between 3%-5% in the United States and may be higher in certain ethnic groups. Primary hypertension, once felt to be rare in children, is now considered to be about five times more common than secondary hypertension. This review provides information to guide physicians through an organized approach to: 1) screening children and adolescents for hypertension during routine visits; 2) using normative percentile data for diagnosis and classification; 3) performing a clinical evaluation to identify the presence of co-morbidities; 4) initiating a plan of care including subsequent follow-up blood pressure measurements, therapeutic lifestyle changes and pharmacologic therapies.
ISSN:1179-5484