Early Treatment Can Prevent Hypertension

High blood pressure is a condition many seniors suffer from without knowing it. If left untreated it can lead to stroke, heart attack or renal failure. Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80 or below and high blood pressure is diagnosed with a reading of 140/90 or above. Blood pressure readings between 120 and 139 mm Hg systolic and 80 to 89 mm Hg diastolic indicate pre-hypertension is present. Patients with prehypertension have most often been treated with observation and medical advice to reduce weight, increase exercise, limit sodium and reduce stress. Unfortunately the success rate of treatment with lifestyle changes alone is generally not impressive. Most people with pre-hypertension progress to true hypertension requiring aggressive treatment with prescription medications along with attempts at lifestyle modification.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center undertook a study to determine if more aggressive treatment of pre-hypertension would help to prevent or delay the development of hypertension. In the study, patients between the ages of 30 and 65 with blood pressures between 130 and 139 mm Hg systolic and 85 to 89 mm Hg diastolic were treated over a four-year period with either a placebo or with ARB medications (angiotensin-receptor blockers) used for treating hypertension. During the four year study, 40 percent of those people with prehypertension who were not treated went on to develop hypertension. Those patients who received treatment with medications for a two year period during the study showed a 15.8 percent lower risk of developing hypertension compared with untreated pre-hypertensive patients. All patients in the study were advised to modify diet and activity levels to encourage weight loss.

Researchers were encouraged that the results of the study indicated that aggressive treatment of prehypertension could help prevent the development of hypertension and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.

If you have prehypertension you may want to talk with your doctor about treatment. If you have hypertension be sure to follow the treatment your doctor has prescribed. Increase your activity levels - walking is a great exercise. Follow a moderate balanced diet and limit your intake of sodium.

03/15/06

SOURCES:UT Southwestern