Pay attention to pre hypertension in young people

We should pay attention to prehypertension in young people. Young adults with the borderline high blood pressure called prehypertension are more likely later in life to have calcium deposits in their coronary arteries and heart blockages, said Dr KK Aggarwal President Haert Care Foundation of India.

Quoting a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Dr Aggarwal said that of the 3,560 participants whose ages were 18 to 30 when the study started, almost 20 percent developed prehypertension -- which is blood pressure higher than the recommended 120 over 80 but below the 140 over 80 reading of treatable high blood pressure -- before the age of 35. Coronary scans showed accumulation of calcium deposits in their heart arteries during the 20-year study.

These low-level elevations, above 120 over 80, are associated with atherosclerosis later in life and probably with heart attacks and stroke.

Earlier reports have shown an association between prehypertension in early adulthood and abnormalities of the heart muscles.

Prehypertension early in life is associated not only with development of atherosclerosis, the formation of plaques that can eventually block arteries, but also with arteriosclerosis, stiffening of the arteries.

Drug treatment isn't a real option for prehypertension in young people, One should pay attention to borderline high blood pressure in young people, and should recommend preventive measures if it is found.

The recommendation is for lifestyle modifications, more exercise, better diet, and so on, to improve cardiovascular health.

They include exercise, better diet, getting away from smoking, avoiding things which can be damaging to the arteries.