Acute Severe Hypertension in Children

Acute severe hypertension, historically referred to as hypertensive crisis, is an infrequent but important condition in children and adolescents. It is characterized by an abrupt and severe increase in blood pressure from baseline, which may be symptomatic and could produce life-threatening damage to target organs. The prevalence of this condition is difficult to quantify given largely outdated data with disparate diagnostic criteria. A wide range of causes can be implicated, which occur with varying frequency by age group. The diagnostic criteria are not well-defined due to a lack of progress in identifying outcome-based blood pressure thresholds and therapeutic targets. Future studies are needed to address these knowledge gaps and reduce the likelihood of long-term morbidity and mortality in children.