Pediatric Ambulatory Blood Pressure Classification: The Case for a Change

Hypertension. 2021 Nov;78(5):1206-1210. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.121.18138. Epub 2021 Oct 4.

Abstract

In 1997, Soergel et al1 published the first set of normative values for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in children. Since then, the clinical utility of ABPM has increased dramatically, and now, ABPM is accepted as the standard method to confirm the diagnosis of hypertension in children. Despite significant progress in the field of pediatric ABPM, many important questions remain unanswered. One of the most controversial issues is how to define ambulatory hypertension in children. The purpose of this review is to discuss the limitations of the current pediatric ABPM classification scheme and to provide the justification and rationale for a new classification.

Keywords: blood pressure; classification; health services; humans; hypertension.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Blood Pressure / physiology*
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / instrumentation
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / methods*
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / classification
  • Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Hypertension / physiopathology*
  • Masked Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Masked Hypertension / physiopathology*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • White Coat Hypertension / diagnosis
  • White Coat Hypertension / physiopathology*