How good is blood pressure control among treated hypertensive children and adolescents?

BACKGROUND: Since good control of arterial hypertension is of paramount importance, the present study was carried out to evaluate blood pressure control in pediatric patients with hypertension receiving regular medical care. STUDY DESIGN: The charts of 80 hypertensive children receiving medical care were reviewed. Their antihypertensive medication had been stable during three or more separate clinic visits and during 3 or more months. Patients with office hypertension were excluded. RESULTS: Blood pressure values higher than the corresponding 95th centiles were noted in 20 of the 80 patients. Hypertension was systolic in seven, diastolic in four and both systolic and diastolic in nine patients. The number of prescribed antihypertensive drugs and the number of doses/day of prescribed antihypertensive drugs was similar in patients with good and in those with poor blood pressure control. Plasma creatinine was higher in patients with poor than in those with good blood pressure control. CONCLUSIONS: The present survey indicates that the goal of antihypertensive medication is not achieved in a noticeable number of pediatric patients with treated hypertension.