Understanding the health risks of childhood hypertension

High blood pressure (BP) isn’t just an adult problem – it’s a lifelong condition that can start in childhood, yet it receives little attention in younger populations. That’s where the Action Network for blood pressure research in children and adolescents (HyperChildNET) comes in, creating Europe’s first comprehensive network to tackle high blood pressure in young people. Its research shows that maintaining healthy blood pressure in childhood through primordial prevention – stopping risk factors before they develop – could lead to healthier adults and reduced healthcare costs.

Professor Empar Lurbe from the University of Valencia, who chairs HyperChildNET, points out: “The necessity for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of high BP in children and adolescents is absolute; its absence inhibits consensus across different research domains and detracts from efforts to introduce changes in clinical practice.”

HyperChildNET innovative tools and insights for blood pressure management in children

Getting accurate blood pressure readings in children requires special attention and the right tools. HyperChildNET improved this process by first testing and validating blood pressure monitors designed specifically for children, ensuring that measurements are reliable across different age groups. They then built Europe’s largest database with information from 39,000 children in eight countries, which helped them understand how blood pressure varies in young populations.

HyperChildNET has become a solid, powerful European network that allows us to develop new strategies and move forward in the field.”

Empar Lurbe, Chair of HyperChildNET, Emeritus Full Professor at the University of Valencia, Spain

Their research showed that readings taken at doctor’s visits often differ from 24-hour monitoring results, showing that both types of measurement provide valuable but different information. For example, some children show normal readings at the doctor’s office but have high blood pressure throughout the day (‘masked hypertension’), while others show the opposite pattern (‘white coat hypertension’).

HyperChildNET has developed three free online calculators (Pediatric office blood pressure calculator; Pediatric 24-hour ambulatory BP calculator; and Pediatric home BP calculator) that take into account a child’s age, gender and height when assessing blood pressure. These tools have changed the way healthcare providers work, with more than 10,000 healthcare professionals worldwide using them to quickly assess readings and track treatment progress. However, doctors still need to confirm hypertension with three separate measurements before making a diagnosis.

Watch the Action’s videos on how to measure blood pressure in children, the percentile calculator by age and gender and masked/white coat hypertension: video series on YouTube i

The Action studies uncovered important health implications of high blood pressure in children. In specialist clinics, they found that 20% of children with high blood pressure develop thicker heart muscles. The researchers also discovered that high blood pressure affects blood vessel function and mental performance. Encouragingly, when children were treated, their cognitive abilities often improved.

To advance treatment research despite limited clinical trial opportunities in children, HyperChildNET proposed innovative solutions. They recommended using personalised trials that track individual responses to treatment and incorporating digital health technologies to monitor progress more effectively.

Making hypertension education accessible

HyperChildNET has revolutionized pediatric hypertension education by making it accessible in multiple languages across Europe and beyond. Its groundbreaking joint statement with the European Academy of Paediatrics, representing 67 pediatric societies, has become a global resource with over 5,500 downloads, including from outside Europe, including the USA, China and India. Recognizing that parents manage their children’s condition, HyperChildNET has developed engaging multilingual educational materials in simple, accessible language, such as:

Action innovative approach to health education turns young people into educators: “There are even videos in which young people actively participate in explaining the topic to the real target group: children,” explains Empar Lurbe. “Our dissemination strategy has involved the target groups as actors, proving that sometimes the best teachers are those who speak your language – literally and figuratively”.

Watch the full video series on YouTube in which teenagers explain the condition to their peers.

This strategy has attracted 93,000 visitors to the website and more than 100 paediatricians to interactive webinars.

The Action’s creativity culminates in the annual European HyperChildNET Week 2023, which coincides with World Children’s Day on 20 November.

From success to impact

The Action has successfully collaborated with the industry. Its partnership with OMRON Healthcare Europe BV goes beyond simply involving industry stakeholders. OMRON opened the doors of its Amsterdam headquarters and offered free training through its academy to bridge the gap between research and real-world implementation.

But that’s not all. Leveraging its expertise in pediatric hypertension and recognizing obesity as a driving force, members of HyperChildNET are participating in the eprObes project, a Horizon Europe grant of €9.87 million that started in May 2023. This ambitious 5-year initiative aims to crack the code on preventing childhood obesity from conception to adolescence. According to Prof. Lurbe, the success is based on something deeper than just scientific excellence: “The joint effort within the strong collaboration and friendship between all members of HyperChildNET is the reason why HyperChildNET has become a solid, powerful European network that allows us to develop new strategies and move forward in the field.”