The authors said the results support the AAP recommendation to do follow-up ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in patients with white coat hypertension.

Home monitoring should not be used to screen for hypertension.

Nearly half of the children with elevated BP did not have three recommended blood pressure readings recorded in subsequent years.

Pediatric practices improved their ability to diagnose elevated blood pressure after getting extra coaching, using tools and analyzing data.

Children who engaged in more intense physical activity had better endurance, quicker recovery times and slower increases in artery stiffness.

FYI: Online flu course, hypertension calculator

The technical report includes strategies for implementing the 2017 guideline blood pressure definitions into the electronic health record.

Under the new guidelines, prevalence of hypertension from 2013-’16 ranged from 1.88% in healthy children to 14.7% of those with severe obesity.

AAP News strove to keep pediatricians and families up to date on issues impacting all facets of children’s health, with articles detailing new research, practice recommendations and advocacy efforts.

The evidence-based clinical practice guideline focuses on the diagnosis, evaluation and initial management of abnormal blood pressures in the ambulatory setting.

Prior research has shown that hypertension is underdiagnosed among children, and untreated hypertension can have negative effects on child development and health over time.