[Treatment of arterial hypertension in children and adolescents--Update of therapeutic options].

Changing living conditions, which lead to physical inactivity and obesity, are probably the main reason for the establishment of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in children and adolescents. In the past those risk factors were typically seen only in the elderly. On long-term, the elevated body-mass-index is a very important risk factor for primary arterial hypertension in children and adolescents, because it is responsible for both structural and functional changes in the cardiovascular system.