High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents

Even in children, blood pressure should be measured from time to time - especially when there is a lack of physical activity and/or overweight. It is feared that the number of children with high blood pressure will continue to rise, as more and more children are overweight. In Germany, already one in five children and one in three adolescents! However, high blood pressure in childhood or adolescence can also affect normal-weight children and adolescents. One of the causes is a lack of exercise, but also increased salt consumption due to the consumption of too much fast food. Another reason is that more and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) today. The most commonly prescribed medication for this is Ritalin. One of the long-term effects of Ritalin is an increase in blood pressure, which pediatric cardiologists see as a risk for later developing arteriosclerosis. The risk of suffering from high blood pressure as an adult is high if it already exists in childhood and/or adolescence. Because high blood pressure "rarely" resolves on its own.

The classification of blood pressure for children is quite controversial. American researchers presented values in June 2009 that were supposed to create a standard. However, German physicians immediately disagreed, as according to this table, 30 percent of children would be classified as needing treatment for high blood pressure.

According to a study by the Robert Koch Institute, blood pressure in children depends on several factors such as body size, age, and gender. Elevated blood pressure in children is relatively rare (3 percent), but it can lead to late consequences such as arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular problems. Therefore, after a thorough investigation of the causes of high blood pressure in children, a lifestyle change and/or medication therapy is essential.

You can find the normal values for children in the following table:

	Boys		Girls
Age	systolic	diastolic	systolic	diastolic
3	106.5	67.2	106.4	68
4	106.8	67.7	106.8	68.2
5	107	68	107.4	68.9
6	107.8	68.7	108.5	69.2
7	109	69	109.8	69.9
8	110	70	111.3	70.4
9	111.8	71	113	71
10	113.5	72	115	72
11	115.7	73	117	72.8
12	118	74	119.5	73.7
13	121.5	75	121.5	74.5
14	125.5	76.5	123	75.6
15	129.5	78	124	76.8
16	133	79	124.8	78
17	136	81	125.5	79
18	139	82	126.4	80.6

Blood pressure should be measured in (small) children with a special pediatric upper arm cuff.

The guidelines of the German Hypertension League for elevated blood pressure values are as follows:

	Normal (Mean)	Onset Hypertension (95th Percentile)
Newborns	60/35 mmHg	over 90/50 mmHg
1 Year	85/40 mmHg	over 100/60 mmHg
4 Years	95/50 mmHg	over 110/70 mmHg
8 Years	100/60 mmHg	over 115/80 mmHg
12 Years	105/62 mmHg	over 125/80 mmHg
older than 16 years	115/65 mmHg	over 135/85 mmHg

You can find the normal values for adults at Blood Pressure Normal Values.

On the occasion of World Hypertension Day 2022, MedUni Vienna reported on the increasing number of adolescent hypertensives. In particular, male adolescents are increasingly affected by high blood pressure, with around 20% showing elevated values. The main cause cited is the also increasingly common overweight. Among obese adolescents, the prevalence of hypertension is 25%. Additionally, lack of exercise, a diet high in salt, and high consumption of sugary drinks contribute to this issue. Furthermore, the increasing pressure on adolescents, as well as anxiety and stress, play an ever-growing role in the development of hypertension even in youth. Another factor mentioned is the "growth spurt," which many young men experience during puberty. Of course, genetic predisposition also plays a role.

Our offering meets the afgis transparency criteria. The afgis logo stands for high-quality health information on the internet.

Related Articles:

• Blood Pressure Normal Values (Table)
• Blood pressure normal values, target values, and classification of blood pressure by age
• High Blood Pressure in Children
• Isolated Systolic Hypertension
• Blood Pressure Normal Values (Table)
• Blood pressure normal values, blood pressure target values, and classification of blood pressure by age
• Isolated Systolic Hypertension