Mild Hypertension
.What is Mild Hypertension?
Mild hypertension, or "prehypertension," is a blood pressure reading that is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as high blood pressure. Depending on the guidelines used, prehypertension can be defined as a systolic (top number) blood pressure reading of between 120 and 139 or a diastolic (bottom number) reading of between 80 and 89.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for prehypertension include genetic factors, unhealthy lifestyle habits, certain medications, and medical conditions. These risk factors include:
- Family history of hypertension
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Being overweight
- Being pregnant
- Taking birth control pills or certain other medications
- Having diabetes or kidney disease
- Having high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides
Complications
The longer prehypertension is untreated, the higher the risk of developing high blood pressure and its associated complications. These complications can include stroke, heart attack, heart failure, aneurysm, vision loss, and kidney failure. Some studies have also linked prehypertension to dementia and cognitive decline.
Treatment
Treating prehypertension is important in order to prevent complications. Treatment focuses on lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and getting regular exercise. In some cases, medications may be prescribed such as thiazide diuretics and ACE inhibitors. It is also important to monitor lifestyle changes in order to keep prehypertension from progressing to high blood pressure.