Summary
A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics examined the long-term health implications of pediatric hypertension, which affects 6% of all children. Despite guidelines that recommend regular blood pressure screening for children, many cases go undiagnosed and untreated, contributing to elevated risks into adulthood.
The population-based cohort study found that children diagnosed with hypertension faced double the risk (4.6 vs. 2.2 per 1,000 person-years, HR 2.1; 95% CI 1.9-2.2) of developing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to controls over a median follow-up period of 14 years. Whereas there was no increased risk of cardiovascular death, other serious cardiovascular outcomes, such as stroke, unstable angina, and congestive heart failure, were two to three times higher among children with hypertension.
The study underscores the importance of enhanced screening practices, increased awareness among health care providers and families, and optimized treatment strategies to potentially prevent cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
Sources
Robinson CH, Hussain J, Jeyakumar N, et al. Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in children and adolescents with hypertension. JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(7):688-698. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.1543.
This summary was created with assistance from generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, 2024).