Hypertension

AAP Releases New Pediatric Hypertension Guidelines

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released updated guidelines for the evaluation and management of hypertension in pediatric patients. These guidelines include significant changes to the 2004 “Fourth Report on the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents.”
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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Among the changes:

  • New normative pediatric blood pressure tables based on normal-weight children.
  • A simplified screening table for identifying children with elevated blood pressure that will need further evaluation.
  • Recommendations that suggest obtaining blood pressure measurements only at preventive care visits.
  • Streamlined recommendations for the initial evaluation and management of abnormal blood pressure.
  • Replacement of the term “prehypertension” with “elevated blood pressure.”

In addition, a comprehensive review of approximately 15,000 published articles between January 2004 and July 2016 was conducted to create 30 Key Action statements and 27 additional recommendations, which include the level of evidence, benefits and harms, and strength for each recommendation.

“This clinical practice guideline, endorsed by the American Heart Association, is intended to foster a patient- and family-centered approach to care, reduce unnecessary and costly medical interventions, improve patient diagnoses and outcomes, support implementation, and provide direction for future research,” the authors concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Flynn JT, Kaelber DC, Baker-Smith CM, et al. Clinical practice guideline for screening and management of high blood pressure in children and adolescents [published online August 21, 2017]. Pediatrics. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-1904.