New Hypertension Standards Norms for blood pressure and definitions of hypertension in children are continuously being re-evaluated. Physical fitness has been shown to be inversely related to blood pressure in grade-school children, i.e. the less active a child is the higher the blood pressure. The treatment goal in primary or essential hypertension in youth is the reduction of blood pressure below the 75th percentile. Conservative management is recommended as initial therapy. As with adults, attention should be given to weight control, exercise and diet, with the recognition that success increases with reinforcement and encouragement.
Obese adolescents have significant reductions in blood pressure with weight loss.
The author concludes that essential hypertension begins to develop during the first two decades of life and that even small increments in blood pressure can have substantial effects on hypertension-related morbidity and mortality. He feels greater attention to blood pressure early in life may ultimately lead to considerable improvements in cardiovascular health. The more we learn about blood pressure in young people, the lower the definition of hypertension is set. Obviously, the absolute levels of blood pressure considered high in children are significantly lower than those for adults.