Renovascular hypertension

Abstract

Hypertension in children is usually secondary, although primary (essential) hypertension is progressively increasing along with increasing childhood obesity (Gomes et al. 2011). The more severe the hypertension and the younger the child, then the more likely it is to be secondary hypertension. Secondary hypertension is most commonly due to renal parenchymal diseases and congenital abnormalities (Wyszynska et al. 1992). Renovascular disease (RVD) is an unusual cause of secondary hypertension in children accounting for less than 10 % of hypertension cases (Gill et al. 1976; Wyszynska et al. 1992). However, it is important to be diagnosed as it is potentially curable with transcatheter angioplasty and/or surgery (Tullus et al. 2008). RVD is now well recognized in pediatrics, but the etiology and management are very different to adult practice (Sadowski and Falkner 1996).