Approach to Severe Hypertension in Children

Severe symptomatic hypertension which is also called hypertensive crisis is an acute elevation in blood pressure to a level that has the potential to cause end-organ damage. Although not common in childhood, it is a life-threatening medical emergency. Hypertensive crises are classically distinguished into hypertensive urgency and hypertensive emergency depending on end-organ involvement including central nervous system (CNS), heart, eye, and kidney. A severe elevation in blood pressure without evidence of acute target organ damage describes hypertensive urgency. Hypertensive emergency is defined as severe hypertension complicated with severe symptoms or acute target organ dysfunction. (Journal of Current Pediatrics 2011; 9: 133-6)