Prehypertension in adolescents: risk and progression.

In 2004, the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents recommended a new designation of prehypertension for children with mildly elevated blood pressure (BP). This description was intended to help identify children most at risk for the development of persistent hypertension for whom targeted prevention programs would be most beneficial and was based largely on expert opinions and epidemiologic normal values. This review summarizes the knowledge that has been gained regarding the epidemiology and risk associated with prehypertension in adolescents since its inception and highlights future challenges in understanding and preventing the development of hypertensive disease in this population.