New research suggests that people with so-called "high-normal" blood pressure should seek treatment, prompting revised guidelines for preventing hypertension.
"We now have evidence that people in the high-normal upper range of blood pressure are more likely to develop hypertension," Dr. Sheldon Tobe, of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, told CTV News.
He added that "40 per cent will develop hypertension within two years."
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the leading causes of death in Canada. It puts patients at greater risk for heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and even dementia.
It's estimated that about 5 million Canadians have the condition, meaning their blood pressure exceeds 140/90 -- a measurement that looks at systolic and diastolic pressure.
A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 or less. Canadians who have high-normal blood pressure have a systolic reading between 130 and 139, and a diastolic reading between 85 and 89.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, about 2.5 million Canadians have high-normal blood pressure.
"And the new information we have is that . . . about half of people with high-normal blood pressure will develop full-blown hypertension in four years," Tobe told The Canadian Press.
He added that hypertension is also a condition that affects young men -- about one in 10 of those aged 18 to 35 have high blood pressure, according to a Canadian Heart Health Survey.
"Many of these young men go undiagnosed because they're (otherwise) healthy and they often don't see their family doctors," said Tobe.
"And if they do, it's not to have their blood pressure checked."
But after the age of 65, more women have hypertension than men. Researchers believe that's because elderly women have lost the effects of estrogen and other sex hormones.
"So if we can screen for hypertension in women as they're getting older, postmenopausal, that's where we can identify women who have high-normal blood pressure and help to get them enamoured with lifestyle interventions, and perhaps we could help prevent them from developing hypertension altogether," Tobe told CP.
"If they start early, perhaps they will not need medication at all or could delay the need for it by years or decades."
The Heart and Stroke Foundation now has the following guidelines:
- People with high-normal blood pressure should have it checked at least once a year;
- All Canadians should have their blood pressure checked during visits to the doctor;
- About 40 per cent of overweight Canadians with high-normal blood pressure will develop full-blown hypertension within two years, and 60 per cent within four years;
- Canadians should reduce their salt intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day -- too much sodium can cause hypertension; and,
- An active, healthy lifestyle -- including regular physical activity -- is urged to prevent high blood pressure.
With files from The Canadian Press
