The Significance of High Normal Blood Pressure for Children and Adolescents

Abstract

At present, almost all the definitions of hypertension in pediatric hypertension guidelines issued by countries and organizations are based on blood pressure percentile of 95% (P95). However, a large number of research data have shown that high normal blood pressure has a higher risk of progression to hypertension and cause similar target organ damage as hypertension. The review summarized the classification methods of blood pressure of children and adolescents in different countries and organizations, the prevalence of hypertension and high normal blood pressure, the rate of progression from high normal blood pressure to hypertension, and target organ damage caused by high normal blood pressure in children and adolescents, emphasizing that pediatricians should pay greater attention to the definition of high normal blood pressure and hypertension for children and adolescents.

Keywords

• hypertension|normal high blood pressure|prehypertension|children and adolescents|target organ|review