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Published on: January 24, 2012
Ambulatory blood pressure measurements
1Section of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas-Houston, Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. jonathan.m.sorof@uth.tmc.edu
Insights
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) offers valuable insights into pediatric hypertension. Studies show ABPM detects early abnormalities and correlates with end-organ damage, improving long-term care for children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Clinical Hypertension Research
- Diagnostic Technologies
Background:
- Pediatric hypertension diagnosis traditionally relies on casual blood pressure measurements.
- Establishing normative data for 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in children is crucial for accurate assessment.
- Current understanding of hypertension's impact on pediatric end-organ health requires further refinement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the utility of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in pediatric hypertension assessment.
- To discuss the development of reference databases for pediatric ABPM.
- To explore the clinical implications of ABPM findings in children, including white coat hypertension and end-organ damage.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) for 24-hour blood pressure profiling in pediatric populations.
- Comparing ABPM data with established reference values and clinical outcomes.
- Analyzing circadian blood pressure patterns in children, including those at high risk for hypertension.
Main Results:
- Pediatric studies using ABPM reveal a prevalence of white coat hypertension similar to adults.
- 24-hour ABPM parameters demonstrate a correlation with hypertensive end-organ injury, such as left ventricular hypertrophy.
- ABPM enables detailed assessment of circadian blood pressure patterns, identifying subtle abnormalities in high-risk children.
Conclusions:
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a vital tool for diagnosing and managing pediatric hypertension.
- ABPM findings contribute to evidence-based practice, enhancing the long-term care of pediatric patients.
- Further development of pediatric ABPM databases will refine diagnostic criteria and improve patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has emerged as a valuable clinical and research tool in the assessment of pediatric hypertension. Large databases of 24-hour blood pressure monitorings in healthy children are under development for establishing normal reference values analogous to the Task Force data for casual blood pressure. In the clinical setting, pediatric studies using ABPM to evaluate elevated blood pressure have shown that the prevalence of white coat hypertension in children is similar to that reported in adults. Furthermore, 24-hour blood pressure parameters are correlated with hypertensive end-organ injury such as left ventricular hypertrophy. ABPM has allowed detailed assessment of circadian blood pressure patterns that show early subtle abnormalities in some high-risk groups and normal patterns in other groups previously thought to be at high risk. These studies will assist in the practice of evidence-based medicine regarding pediatric hypertension that will improve the long-term care that pediatricians provide to their patients.
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