Health Uncle:What Is Prehypertension-and what should be done about it

Prehypertension is now considered to be an early stage of hypertension,or high blood pressure.In a person with prehypertension,harm may already be being done to their bodies.People with prehypertension,defined as blood pressure from 120-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic,have no symptoms,yet have twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as those with lower blood pressure.They are already at an increased risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack.
Prehypertension has a number of possible causes,such as atherosclerosis;sleep apnea;kidney disease;and thyroid disease.Risk factors for the condition include being overweight;of the male sex;having a family history of high blood pressure;a sedentary lifestyle;high sodium or low potassium intake;tobacco use;alcoholism;and having high cholesterol or diabetes.
Prehypertension with diabetes,kidney or cardiovascular disease may be treated with blood pressure medications.Lifestyle changes alone are typically prescribed for the other patients with prehypertension.Low fat/high fiber diets;more exercise;giving up tobacco;and limiting alcohol are recommended to reduce blood pressure.
In the case of prehypertension,what was once glossed over is now seen as requiring a plan of action to alleviate both the present and future risk of cardiovascular events.

New Warning:Even Slightly High Blood Pressure Is Dangerous

A new study by the University of California San Diego shows a substantially greater risk of stroke for many people who have pre-hypertension,a precursor condition to hypertension,or high blood pressure.The study considered 12 previous studies covering more than 500,000 patients.
Pre-hypertension is a blood pressure greater than 120/80,but less than 140/90,which is hypertension proper.Until this new study was published in the journal Neurology,the amount of risk pre-hypertension posed was unclear.For those younger than 65,the study shows,even a slightly high blood pressure of 121/81 increases stroke risk by 22%.A blood pressure of from 130-139/80-89 increased stroke risk nearly 80%.In general,those with a blood pressure of 120-139/80-89,the range for pre-hypertension,had a 55% greater risk of having a stroke than the rest of the population.
The data for those over 65 did not yield the same result-probably because their stroke risk is determined by other factors,such as other medical conditions they may have.
It is also now believed that patients with pre-diabetes,the precursor condition to diabetes,in which the blood sugar is only somewhat elevated,also may be experiencing significant health impacts.It seems that chronic disease is more of a continuum than was previously understood.