Effects of Puberty on Blood Pressure Trajectories - Underlying Processes

Abstract

Puberty is a complex process leading to physical, sexual, and psychosocial maturation. The changes in morphology and organ function during puberty also affect blood pressure (BP) regulation, and as a consequence (BP) values change noticeably, reaching values often higher than after reaching full maturity. In children entering puberty, BP, especially systolic, increases and then reaches adult values by the end of puberty. The mechanisms responsible for this process are complex and not fully understood. Sex hormones, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, and insulin, whose production increases during puberty, significantly regulate BP through complex and overlapping mechanisms. During puberty, the incidence of arterial hypertension also increases, especially in children with excess body weight. The present paper presents the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of processes occurring during puberty on blood pressure.

Keywords: Adolescents; Arterial hypertension; Blood pressure; Puberty.

Fig. 1

Trajectories of blood pressure during puberty (based on data by Li et al.; Li Y, Dong Y, Zou Z, Gao D, Wang X, Yang Z, et al. Association between pubertal development and elevated blood pressure in children. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension. 2021 Aug 3;23(8):1498–505.)

Fig. 2

Impact of pubertal changes on blood pressure (BP)