Prehypertension in children and adolescents

Abstract:

It is rather common that insufficient attention is being paid to slightly elevated blood pressure levels in children and adolescents. There are two important problems associated with prehypertension in children and adolescents - the risk of progression to hypertension and the damage of target organs. Longitudinal studies have confirmed that the arterial blood pressure from childhood and adolescence continues into adulthood. Prehypertension in children and adolescents is defined by the values of systolic and/or diastolic pressure higher than the 90th percentile but lower than the 95th percentile for age, gender and body height. For adolescents aged 16 years and older, the hypertension marginal values are the same as for adults - 130-139 / 85-89 mmHg. Prevalence of prehypertension is 4-27% depending on the data collecting method, as well as patient age and gender. The risk of progression of prehypertension to hypertension is higher than in normotensive individuals, an annual incidence of hypertension in children with prehypertension being 1.1% to 6.6%. In addition to the risk of hypertension, prehypertensive children suffer from already damaged target organs - left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, increased intima-media thickness and increased arterial stiffness, all having a clinical relevance for the development of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood. Timely detection of prehypertension and lifestyle changes would bring most benefit to these children as it relates to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in adult age.

Key words:
children; hypertension; prehypertension