Screening children for hypertension: the case against

Hypertension is a common condition among adults worldwide and has serious consequences, including increased risk for morbidity and mortality. It is the leading risk factor for premature death as of 2012, contributing to 13% of all deaths globally, including 51% of deaths from stroke and 45% of coronary heart disease fatalities [1, 2]. In the USA, hypertension was a primary or contributing cause of death for more than 410,000 Americans in 2014 [3]. The prevalence of hypertension among American adults was around 29% as of 2014, with prevalence ranging from 7.3% for 18- to 39-year-olds to 64.9% for those 60 years and older [4]. …