Hypertension has increased in the pediatric population, in part because of the increase in childhood obesity. Unlike hypertension in adults, hypertension in children is not defined by an established cutoff point. Like BMI, the definition of childhood hypertension is defined based upon the normative distribution of blood pressure in healthy children. Blood pressure percentiles are based on gender, age, and height. Hypertension is diagnosed after elevated measurements are noted on three separate occasions. Here are blood pressure reference tables for both boys and girls .
The guidelines for the definition of normal and elevated blood pressures in children were updated in 2004 and are included below. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures are of equal importance. If there is a disparity between the two, the higher value determines the blood pressure category. Blood pressure categories are defined as: 1) Normal Blood Pressure: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure < 90th percentile 2) Prehypertention: Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90th but < 95th percentile, or if the blood pressure exceeds 120/80 mmHg even if < 90th percentile. A systolic pressure of 120 typically occurs at 12 years of age, although a diastolic pressure of 80 typically occurs at 16 years of age. 3) Stage 1 Hypertension: Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure between the 95th and 99th percentiles plus 5 mm Hg 4) Stage 2 Hypertension: Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 99th percentile plus 5 mm Hg (12).
1) Normal Blood Pressure: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure < 90th percentile
2) Prehypertention: Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90th but < 95th percentile, or if the blood pressure exceeds 120/80 mmHg even if < 90th percentile. A systolic pressure of 120 typically occurs at 12 years of age, although a diastolic pressure of 80 typically occurs at 16 years of age.
3) Stage 1 Hypertension: Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure between the 95th and 99th percentiles plus 5 mm Hg
4) Stage 2 Hypertension: Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 99th percentile plus 5 mm Hg (12).
