Study: 'Pre-Hypertension' Accurate Predictor of High Blood Pressure

The new designation of “pre-hypertension” included for the first time in the latest clinical guidelines for hypertension is an accurate predictor of high blood pressure, according to a study presented in May at the American Society of Hypertension’s annual meeting in New York.

The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute released new clinical practice guidelines last spring, introducing the term “pre-hypertension” for systolic blood pressure levels of 120-139 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure levels of 80-89 mm Hg.

Researcher Dr. Ehud Grossman of Chaim Sheba Medical Center in Tel-Hashomer, Israel, said blood pressure levels in the pre-hypertension range were common in young people.

Grossman recommended close follow-up and monitoring of blood pressure, even in apparently healthy, young subjects and noted that those with pre-hypertension must be encouraged to begin life style modifications in order to prevent future complications.

Grossman and his colleagues analyzed data from 367 male Israeli aviators who were examined at age 18 and followed from three to 37 years. Their systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and body mass index were measured at age 18 and at the end of the study.

The men were divided into two groups according to blood pressure levels at age 18. One group (176 men) was comprised of those with pre-hypertension and the other (191 men) with normal blood pressure levels (less than 120/80 mm Hg).

Of the 176 men in the pre-hypertension designation, 140 had isolated systolic pre-hypertension, 5 had isolated diastolic pre-hypertension and 31 had both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the pre-hypertension range.

At follow-up, a total of 110 men (30%) from both groups developed hypertension, with 77 (43%) coming from the pre-hypertension group and 33 (17%) from the normal group.

“Among the 31 men with both systolic and diastolic pre-hypertension, 24 or 77% went on to develop frank hypertension,” Dr. Grossman said. “We note that blood pressure levels vary in the same person and that the diagnosis of hypertension should be based on repeated elevated blood pressure measurements.

“We found in our study that pre-hypertension is a common phenomenon, even in young, healthy subjects and is associated with the future development of hypertension,” he added.

Other sources:American Society of Hypertension