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Worldwide Prevalence of Childhood Hypertension

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Hypertension in Children and Adolescents

Part of the book series: Updates in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection ((UHCP))

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Abstract

The prevalence of hypertension in childhood has been gaining interest worldwide. Reports of blood pressure (BP) levels in childhood populations describe a prevalence of hypertension that varies among different countries. Despite regional differences in the reported prevalence of abnormal BP, at least 10% of the children have BP levels that are at risk for hypertension. Elevated BP is strongly associated with excess adiposity. Largely due to the childhood obesity epidemic, the prevalence of primary hypertension in youth has increased in the past few decades. Prospective cohort studies with repeated examinations from childhood to early adulthood demonstrate that individuals with elevated BP in childhood are at the greatest risk for hypertension in early adulthood. BP levels that exceed the 90th percentile of current normative BP data are indicative of the early phase of primary hypertension and designate a heightened risk for future cardiovascular disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Bonita Falkner

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  1. Bonita Falkner
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Correspondence to Bonita Falkner .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Head of Pediatrics Department, Hospital General Universitario Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Empar Lurbe

  2. Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Elke Wühl

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Falkner, B. (2019). Worldwide Prevalence of Childhood Hypertension. In: Lurbe, E., Wühl, E. (eds) Hypertension in Children and Adolescents. Updates in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18167-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18167-3_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-18166-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-18167-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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