The Article in Brief

Background: Prehypertension is a blood pressure category in which systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood pressure) is between 120-139 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (the second blood pressure number) is 80-89 mm Hg. People with prehypertension are considered to be at greater risk of developing high blood pressure. This study examined whether they also have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and heart failure, than people with normal blood pressure.
What This Study Found: People with prehypertension are at greater risk of having a major cardiovascular condition than people with normal blood pressure. Most people with prehypertension also have other conditions that increase their risk of cardiovascular disease.
Implications: Prehypertension can serve as an early warning to patients and doctors to watch for high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
The risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease can be reduced by lifestyle changes, such as improved diet and exercise. In an editorial (titled “Prehypertension, Patient Outcomes, and the Knowledge Base of Family Medicine”) in this issue of the Annals of Family Medicine, Lee Green, MD, asks primary care doctors to think about what they can do in their practices and their communities to help patients develop healthy lifestyles.