Blood pressure checks needed for kids
Media release: Thursday, 16 July, 2026
Blood pressure checks needed for kids as young as 7 as thousands go undiagnosed
Childhood hypertension guidelines
Children should have their blood pressure checked as early as 7 years of age, and again in early adolescence, under new Australian clinical guidance released this week and endorsed by the Heart Foundation.
The recommendation in the new Australian Guideline for the Identification and Management of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents comes amid evidence that high blood pressure is no longer an adult-only condition. An estimated 22,000 to 44,000 Australian children are living with stage 2 hypertension - high blood pressure - most of them undetected. ¹
Stage 2 hypertension is defined as markedly elevated blood pressure associated with a higher risk of organ damage.
Research shows that of those with confirmed stage 2 hypertension who have received full clinical assessment, around 1 in 3 already show thickening of the heart muscle, an early sign of cardiovascular damage. ²
High blood pressure in children is becoming more common. Heart Foundation Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, Prof. Derek Chew, said early detection was critical to ensuring kids at risk of hypertension have a chance to take preventive action and not rely on medication.
For most children, early detection of hypertension means early lifestyle support including healthier diets, less salt, and more physical activity, in addition to long-term attention to heart health.
Prof. Derek Chew
Chief Medical Officer
“The new guideline, developed by BPOzKids and Hypertension Australia and endorsed by the Heart Foundation, acknowledge that this is an emerging issue that needs addressing.
“The guidelines provides frontline clinicians with practical steps to identify and manage high blood pressure in children.”
Why kids are increasingly at risk of hypertension
Obesity is a leading driver of rising rates of high blood pressure in children, but other factors are also contributing. These include premature birth, high salt intake and low levels of physical activity.
These risks often present together in communities facing social or economic disadvantage, where children are also less likely to be screened and diagnosed.
Prof. Derek Chew
Chief Medical Officer
To view the Australian Guideline for the Identification and Management of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents, visit: https://www.hypertension.org.au/children
For further information, listen to the Heart Foundation podcast The Beat episode: Why children should have their blood pressure checked from age seven.
1. Ruan X, Zhu A, Wang T, et al. Global Prevalence of Hypertension in Children and Adolescents Younger Than 19 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2025; 179: 987-999
2. Sinha MD, Azukaitis K, Sladowska-Kozlowska J, et al. Prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in children and young people with primary hypertension: Meta-analysis and meta-regression. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022; 9: 993513
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Last updated06 August 2026