Slightly High Blood Pressure is Also Dangerous

By Charmaine Gooden

Even if your blood pressure is slightly elevated, you may be prone to a stroke, new research says. Prehypertension is a clinical category to describe patients whose blood pressure is elevated but still considered within normal range.  People who had prehypertension were at a 55 per cent higher risk of experiencing a future stroke than people without prehypertension. In the study published Wednesday online in Neurology, researchers concluded that prehypertension is a ‘very plausible risk factor for stroke,’ adding it does often lead to hypertension, which can damage and weaken artery walls.

Blood pressure is considered the most powerful determinant of a person’s stroke risk. A stroke is a condition where a blood clot or ruptured artery or blood vessel interrupts blood flow to the brain. A lack of oxygen and glucose (sugar) flowing to the brain leads to brain damage, causing impairment in speech, movement and memory.

Current treatments for prehypertension, defined by a systolic blood pressure (when the heart is pumping) between 120-139 and diastolic blood pressure (when the heart is at rest) between 80-89, include lowering it by losing weight, exercising, reducing salt intake and stopping smoking. Physicians might recommend drug therapy for patients with prehypertension plus other diseases, including prediabetes and diabetes.

Most often, medicine for lowering blood pressure isn’t recommended until blood pressure is 140/50 or higher. A medical trial to compare prehypertension patients who receive drug therapy versus individuals who do not in order is in the works to better understand the need for medication among the prehypertension population.