title: Prehypertension: risk stratification and management considerations.
abstract: Approximately 37% of US adults are prehypertensive; about 31 million have blood pressures in the range of 130-139/85-89 mm Hg. These stage 2 prehypertensives have threefold greater risk for developing hypertension and twofold higher risk for cardiovascular events than normotensives. Lifestyle changes only are recommended for most prehypertensives, but evidence for community-wide effectiveness is limited. Projected numbers needed to treat to prevent a cardiovascular event are similar for stage 2 prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension when both groups are matched for concomitant risk factors. However, no clinical trials document that pharmacotherapy reduces cardiovascular events in stage 2 prehypertension. The Trial of Preventing Hypertension demonstrated that angiotensin receptor blockade safely lowers blood pressure and prevents or delays progression to hypertension in stage 2 prehypertensives. We believe it is reasonable for clinicians to identify stage 2 prehypertensives at high absolute risk for progression to hypertension and cardiovascular events, and to treat them with a renin-angiotensin system blocker when lifestyle changes alone are ineffective.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Avenue, RT1104, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. eganbm@musc.edu
authors.forename: Brent M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: Stevo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Julius
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008019:Life Style; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
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