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Hypertension

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Endocrine Conditions in Pediatrics

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Abstract

The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) in youth is lower than that seen in adults; however, clinicians are likely to encounter HTN in children and adolescents with the rising prevalence of obesity. A key component of defining elevated blood pressure (BP) or HTN in youth is the accurate measurement with an appropriate size cuff. The reference ranges for BP depend on age, gender, and height. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for the management of hypertension in children and adolescents provide simplified and detailed tables for reference ranges of systolic and diastolic BP and definitions of elevated BP and HTN. A variety of electronic tools and apps have incorporated these guidelines for use at the point of care and are often incorporated into electronic health record systems. The higher prevalence of secondary causes of HTN in youth provides a valuable opportunity for focused therapy and begets a thoughtful assessment by the clinician. Lifestyle management should be advocated for all children with elevated BP or HTN with judicious use of pharmacologic therapy. Maintenance of normal BP in children and adolescents is crucial to the long-term cardiovascular health of our society.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Vidhu V. Thaker

  2. Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Vidhu V. Thaker

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  1. Vidhu V. Thaker
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Correspondence to Vidhu V. Thaker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Takara Stanley

  2. Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Madhusmita Misra

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Thaker, V.V. (2021). Hypertension. In: Stanley, T., Misra, M. (eds) Endocrine Conditions in Pediatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52215-5_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52215-5_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-52214-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-52215-5

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