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    Patent Pending

    AAP Pediatric Hypertension Guidelines

    Diagnoses hypertension in pediatric patients; official guideline of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

    IMPORTANT

    This tool has been developed in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. The authors, editors, and contributors are expert authorities in the field of pediatrics. No commercial involvement of any kind has been solicited or accepted in the development of the content of this tool. Advertising does not influence editorial decisions or content. The appearance of advertising on MDCalc sites is neither a guarantee nor an endorsement by the AAP of the product, service, or company, or the claims made for the product in such advertising.

    INSTRUCTIONS

    Use in children aged 1-17 years. Not for use in patients with low blood pressure. Recommendations are based on AAP's 2017 Clinical Practice Guideline (Table 3). Note that cutoffs reported in the calculator may vary slightly from the published tables, as the calculator accommodates for ages between whole numbers (e.g. 5.5 years), and the tables use simplified values to account for ages between whole numbers. For children ≥13 years of age, this calculator has been adjusted to meet definitions presented in the 2017 AHA/ACC hypertension guidelines for adults. 

    When to Use
    Pearls/Pitfalls
    Why Use

    Children aged 1-17 years old.

    • These values are based on auscultatory measurements, not oscillometric devices or ambulatory blood pressure measurements.
    • Blood pressure should ideally be taken by auscultatory measurement after child has been seated for 3-5 minutes with back supported and legs uncrossed. Blood pressure should be measured on the right arm for consistency. Correct cuff size should be used to ensure accuracy of measurement.
    • If the initial blood pressure is elevated, providers should take two additional measurements at the same visit and use the average value.
    • For children ≥13 years of age, this calculator has been adjusted to meet definitions presented in the 2017 AHA/ACC adult hypertension guidelines in order to facilitate the management of older adolescents with high blood pressure.
    • Classifies blood pressure in pediatric patients, which varies based on age and gender.
    • Measuring BP at routine well-child visits enables early detection of primary hypertension as well as detection of asymptomatic hypertension secondary to another underlying disorder. Hypertension is a known major contributor to cardiovascular disease.
    • Can guide timing of:
      • Blood pressure recheck.
      • Diagnostic evaluation.
      • Treatment initiation.
    years
    Male
    Female
    in
    mm Hg
    mm Hg

    Result:

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    Next Steps
    Evidence
    Creator Insights
    Dr. Bernard Rosner

    About the Creator

    Bernard Rosner, PhD, is a professor of biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital. His work has had cardiovascular, pulmonary, ophthalmologic, oncologic, and nutritional applications. Dr. Rosner's primary research interests involve statistical modeling of longitudinal data, analysis of clustered continuous, binary, and ordinal data, and methods for the adjustment of regression models to address measurement error.

    To view Dr. Bernard Rosner's publications, visit PubMed

    Are you Dr. Bernard Rosner? Send us a message to review your photo and bio, and find out how to submit Creator Insights!
    MDCalc loves calculator creators – researchers who, through intelligent and often complex methods, discover tools that describe scientific facts that can then be applied in practice. These are real scientific discoveries about the nature of the human body, which can be invaluable to physicians taking care of patients.
    Dr. Joseph T. Flynn

    About the Creator

    Joseph T. Flynn, MD, MS, is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he holds the Dr. Robert O. Hickman Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nephrology. He is also chief of the division of nephrology at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and has served as president of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, on the Working Group of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, and as co-chair of an American Academy of Pediatrics committee focused on childhood hypertension. Dr. Flynn’s research interests involve the epidemiology and treatment of childhood hypertension, as well as cardiovascular complications of pediatric chronic kidney disease.

    To view Dr. Joseph T. Flynn's publications, visit PubMed

    Are you Dr. Joseph T. Flynn? Send us a message to review your photo and bio, and find out how to submit Creator Insights!
    MDCalc loves calculator creators – researchers who, through intelligent and often complex methods, discover tools that describe scientific facts that can then be applied in practice. These are real scientific discoveries about the nature of the human body, which can be invaluable to physicians taking care of patients.
    Content Contributors
    • Sneha Daya, MD
    About the Creator
    Dr. Bernard Rosner
    Are you Dr. Bernard Rosner?
    Dr. Joseph T. Flynn
    Are you Dr. Joseph T. Flynn?
    Content Contributors
    • Sneha Daya, MD