In the Dallas Heart Study, 2001 untreated participants 18 to 64 years of age (mean age: 42.3 years; 44% black race) were divided into the following groups based on office blood pressure (BP) measurements: (1) optimal BP (systolic BP [SBP] <120 mm Hg and diastolic BP [DBP] <80 mm Hg; n=837); (2) prehypertension (SBP 120-139 mm Hg and DBP 80-89 mm Hg; n=821); (3) ISH (SBP ≥140 mm Hg and DBP <90 mm Hg; n=121); (4) isolated diastolic hypertension (SBP <140 mm Hg and DBP ≥90 mm Hg; n=44); and (5) systolic-diastolic hypertension (SBP ≥140 mm Hg and DBP ≥90 mm Hg; n=178).
Risk of total CVDs, MI, and stroke was increased with low-range prehypertension (low-range: SBP 120-129 mmHg and/or DBP 80-84 mmHg) versus normal BP - RR 1.42 (95% CI 1.29-1.55), 1.43 (1.10-1.86), and 1.52 (1.27-1.81), respectively - and risk of total CVDs, CHD, MI, and stroke was increased with high-range prehypertension (high-range: SBP 130-139 mmHg and/or DBP 85-89 mmHg) - RR 1.81 (95% CI 1.56-2.10), 1.65 (1.13-2.39), 1.99 (1.59-2.50), and 1.99 (1.68-2.36), respectively.
Those who converted to normotension were younger, less obese, and had significantly lower baseline SBP, fasting glucose, cholesterol levels, and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance compared with study participants who continued to have prehypertension or progressed to hypertension.