The investigation and management of hypertension

Abstract 

Childhood hypertension is relatively common, the prevalence is approximately the same as diabetes mellitis. It is secondary in the majority of patients. Blood pressure should be measured in any child in whom there is a hypertensive risk factor, or with symptoms or signs consistent with hypertension. Measurement of blood pressure should be undertaken with an appropriate device, and the reading compared with age, height and sex-adjusted centile charts. Investigation of children with hypertension is rewarding. Treatment should be tailored to the underlying cause, and in childhood there may be the opportunity for cure by means of surgery or interventional radiology.

Keywords: hypertension, centile charts, renovascular disease, renal parenchymal disease, essential hypertension, mercury, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, antihypertensive agents, arteriography

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• f1 Correspondence to: SS. Tel.: +44 121 333 9231; Fax: +44 121 333 9231; E-mail: s.stephens@ich.ucl.ac.uk