PolicyLab

Hypertension and prehypertension in children often go undiagnosed, according to a new study from PolicyLab’s Dr. Alex Fiks. The study focused on children with abnormal blood pressures across the United States, and is the first to show a widespread underdiagnosis of these conditions by pediatricians in children ages 3 to 18. According to the study, only 23 percent of the children who had elevated blood pressure readings in the hypertension range and about 10 percent of the patients with prehypertensive readings were actually diagnosed with the conditions. The findings were highlighted in the Philadelphia Inquirer and a Pediatrics commentary. For more information, please see the PolicyLab press release.