Children with hypertension at higher risk for heart conditions, study finds

According to a study being presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, youth with high blood pressure are nearly four times more likely to be at long-term risk of serious heart conditions including stroke and heart attack.

Hypertension affects one of every 15 children and adolescents worldwide and is a growing concern, according to previous research. A child is diagnosed with hypertension when their average blood pressure is at or above the 95th percentile for their age, sex, and height. While the reason for the increase in pediatric hypertension is not entirely clear, it is considered to be due to obesity.

High blood pressure can cause many heart conditions, including:

1. Coronary artery disease where the arteries that supply blood to the heart are narrowed and damaged. Too little blood flow to the heart can lead to chest pain, called angina, and cause irregular heart rhythms.

2. Heart failure where the heart muscle weakens or becomes stiff and functions poorly.

3. Metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of health conditions that can lead to stroke or diabetes.

The study found that during an average follow-up of 13 years, youth with hypertension were at two to four times higher risk of experiencing heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or cardiac surgery compared to youth without hypertension. Experts said that improved blood pressure screening and treatment during childhood may reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular disease as an adult.

“Devoting more resources to pediatric blood pressure screening and control could lower the risks of long-term heart conditions in children with hypertension. More awareness about the importance of regular screening and follow-up for pediatric hypertension may prevent children from developing significant adverse heart outcomes later in life” said Cal H. Robinson, MD, pediatric nephrology fellow at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and presenting author.

Reference: Cal H. Robinson, MD et al.; Long-term cardiovascular outcomes in children and adolescents with hypertension: A population-based, propensity-matched cohort study; Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting held May 3-6 in Toronto.