Importance of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in adolescent hypertension

Abstract

There has been a steady increase in the prevalence of adolescent hypertension in recent years. In order to prevent target organ damages, it is important to determine the group of hypertensive adolescents. If repeatedly elevated blood pressure values are observed, with special emphasis on white coat hypertension, which is particularly frequent at this age, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is highly recommended before pharmacological treatment is started. In addition, performing ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is recommended with target organ damage, resistance to therapy, and suspicion of secondary hypertension. The results of the widely available, simple-to-use device are easy to reproduce. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG.