(CNN)More children and teens are likely to be categorized as having abnormal blood pressure during their annual wellness visits, based on new recommendations released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
High blood pressure is mostly a "silent" condition, with no visible symptoms. Yet it can have long-term health consequences, including cardiovascular disease. The new guidelines, aimed at prevention, were published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. They include new diagnosis tables based on normal-weight children.
The academy convened a 20-person committee to update the previous guidelines, issued in 2004, and develop new evidence-based recommendations. As part of its work, the committee reviewed nearly 15,000 articles focused on diagnosis, evaluation and early management of abnormally high blood pressure in children and teens.
