Safety of the newer antihypertensive agents in children.

Hypertension is relatively uncommon in children and few children receive antihypertensive medications. This article reviews the safety of calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists in children with hypertension. While the newer antihypertensive agents appear to be well-tolerated by children, further studies are needed to determine the safety profile across the developmental continuum, with chronic dosing and in children with complex hypertension.