Abnormalities of vascular structure and function in pediatric hypertension.
Hypertension is associated with adverse cardiovascular (CV) events in adults. Measures of vascular structure and function, including increased carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and elevated arterial stiffness predict hard CV events in adulthood. Newer data suggest that abnormalities in target organ damage are occurring in adolescents and young adults with high blood pressure. In this review, we discuss the techniques for measuring vascular dysfunction in young people and the evidence linking blood pressure levels to this type of target organ damage.
Preventive Cardiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 7002, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA. Elaine.urbina@cchmc.org.
Elaine M
EM
Urbina
D000293:Adolescent; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
Arterial stiffness; Carotid artery; Hypertension; Pediatric