Last update:
   02-Feb-2012
 

Arch Hellen Med, 29(1), January-February 2012, 116-127

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Hypertension in children and adolescents: Diagnosis, investigation and management:
Hellenic Society of Hypertension consensus document

G.S. Stergiou,1 A. Vazeou,2 C. Stefanidis,3 A. Kapogiannis,4 D. Georgakopoulos,5 S. Douma,6
M. Doumas,6 P. Zebekakis,7 T. Makris,8 C. Tsioufis,9 A. Manolis,10 Hellenic Society of Hypertension
1Hypertension Center, Third University Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" Hospital, Athens,
2First Department of Pediatrics, "P. and A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens,
3Department of Nephrology, "P. and A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens,
4Department of Nephrology, "Agia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens,
5Department of Cardiology, "P. and A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens,
6Second University Department of Medicine, "Hippokration" Hospital, Thessaloniki,
7First University Department of Medicine, "AHEPA" Hospital, Thessaloniki,
8Department of Cardiology, "Helena Venizelou" General Maternity-District Hospital, Athens,
9First University Department of Cardiology, "Hippokration" Hospital, Athens,
10Department of Cardiology, "Asklipiion" Hospital, Athens, Greece

Hypertension in children and adolescents is more common than previously believed and its prevalence shows a tendency to increase. Τhe management of hypertension in children and adolescents differs from that in adults and in the last two decades it has changed considerably. In 2009, the European Society of Hypertension published detailed guidelines for the management of pediatric hypertension, and recommended the measurement of blood pressure in all children older than 3 years during every health care episode. This consensus document, by hypertension experts, provides essential and practical knowledge regarding the confirmation of diagnosis, the initial evaluation and the management of hypertension, with focus on essential hypertension, which is the most common cause, particularly in the adolescents.

Key words: Adolescents, Children, Diagnosis, Hypertension, Management.

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