Hypertension in Children and Adolescents New Perspectives

Empar Lurbe , MD, pHD, graduated from the Medical College of Valencia in 1976. She subsequently trained in pediatrics at the Hospital La Fe in Valencia. She completed her pediatric nephrology and hypertension fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, in 1992.

In addition to practicing clinical pediatric nephrology at Valencia, she is also Head of the Pediatric Department and the Pediatric Unit against Obesity and Cardiovascular Risk in Children and Adolescents. Her research interests have led her to focus on epidemiologic studies of CV risk factors in children. She initiated the 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and supervised collection of CV data for over two decades.

Dr. Lurbe is a Full Professor at Valencia University and became Head of Group at CIBERobn, Instituto de Salud Carlos III in 2006. This new opportunity allowed her to concentrate her clinical practice on the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure and obesity. She has since continued her research, focusing on non-invasive methods for measuring atherosclerosis, especially vascular function abnormalities, using Carotid Ultrasound, Arterial Stiffness and Endothelial Function. Her current research includes the application of 24- hour ambulatory blood pressure central BP and these new techniques to study the roles that pre- and post-natal nutrition, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes play in the development of hardening of the arteries.

Dr. Elke Wühl is Professor of Pediatrics and consultant pediatric nephrologist at the Center of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany.

She received her doctorate (Dr. med.) from Heidelberg University Medical School and completed her residency and pediatric nephrology training at the University Children’s Hospital Heidelberg. She is certified pediatric nephrologist and hypertension specialist (DHL).

Dr. Wühl has special interest in progression of chronic kidney disease and associated cardiovascular comorbidities and is involved in several clinical intervention trials in the pediatric chronic kidney disease population. Her research interests include pediatric hypertension, blood pressure rhythmicity, and cardiovascular morphology and function. Her publication list includes publications on reference data for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, carotid intima media thickness, and pulse wave velocity. She is a member of national and international pediatric hypertension guideline committees.