Severe hypertension in childhood.

Abstract

The natural history of hypertension in childhood is poorly documented. More data are required, not only as regards aetiology, but also as a guide to prognosis, and for the assessment of effective hypo- tensive agents. We have reviewed those children with a raised blood pressure seen at The Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, during the 10-year period 1954-64. The normal values of the blood pressure in children of different ages, and their variations due to cuff size and emotion, are well established (Moss and Adams, 1962; Nadas, 1963). Having full regard for these precautions, only those children with severe hypertension were selected for this series. All patients with a sustained diastolic blood pressure of over 120 mm. Hg were included, if this was accompanied by the presence of cardiomegaly on clinical examination, or left ventri- cular hypertrophy on ECG. Cases of acute nephritis in which the hypertension was a temporary pheno- menon were excluded.