Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

History of Prehypertension: Past and Present, a Saga of Misunderstanding and Neglect

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Prehypertension and Cardiometabolic Syndrome

Part of the book series: Updates in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection ((UHCP))

  • 657 Accesses

Abstract

Prehypertension is defined as borderline blood pressure levels that do not fall in the range defined as hypertension. Since the definition of hypertension has changed over the years, the definition of prehypertension has changed too. The term “prehypertension” was used in 2003, by the Joint National Committee on Hypertension. However, already in the 1920s and 1930s, insurance companies used the term prehypertension for slightly elevated blood pressure levels which were well within the normal range but were clearly associated with increased morbidity and mortality. These data, accumulated by insurance companies, were used for risk calculation in order to price insurance policies.

Over time, several studies demonstrated that the prehypertensive range carries an increased morbidity risk. The earliest and most impressive was the study of 22,741 US army officers (Levy et al. JAMA 129(9):585–588, 1945) published in 1945. It showed that persons with transient hypertension (some readings high and some normal) had higher rates of disability retirements with cardiovascular and renal diseases. A recent large meta-analysis confirmed the association of prehypertension with higher cardiovascular risk (Huang et al. BMC Med 11:177, 2013).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Levy RL, White PD, Stroud WD. Transient tachycardia. Prognostic significance alone and in association with transient hypertension. JAMA. 1945;129(9):585–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Huang Y, Wang S, Cai X, et al. Prehypertension and incidence of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis. BMC Med. 2013;11:177.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Ruskin A. Classics in arterial hypertension. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas; 1956.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Freis ED. Origins and development of antihypertensive treatment. In: Laragh JH, Brenner BM, editors. Hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management. New York: Raven Press; 1990. p. 2093–4.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hippocrates. Genuine works of Hippocrates, translated by Adams F. London: Sydenham Society; 1949.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Galen C. Introduction in Pulsus ad teuthram, interpreted by Gregory M. London: Guliel Rovillius; 1959.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Final Report of the Subcommittee on Definition and Prevalence of the 1984 Joint National Committee. Hypertension prevalence and the status of awareness, treatment and control in the United States. Hypertension. 1985;7:457–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chobanian AV, Bakris GL, Black HR, et al. For the Joint National Committee. The seventh report of the joint National Committee Report on prehypertension detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure. The JNC VII report. JAMA. 2003;289:2560–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Esunge PM. From blood pressure to hypertension: the history of research. J R Soc Med. 1991;84:621.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Dustan HP, Schneckloth RE, Corcoran AC, Page IH. The effectiveness of long-term treatment of malignant hypertension. Circulation. 1958;18(4 Part 1):644–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Veterans Administration Cooperative Study Group on Antihypertensive Agents. Effects of treatment on morbidity and mortality in hypertension: I. Results in patients with diastolic blood pressure averaging 115–129 mmHg. JAMA. 1967;202:116–22.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Murphy EA. The normal and the perils of sylleptic argument. Perspect Biol Med. 1972;15:566–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Freitag MH, Vasan RS. What is normal blood pressure? Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2003;12:285–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lewington S, Clarke R, Qizibash N, et al. Age-specific relevance of usual blood pressure to vascular mortality. Lancet. 2002;360:1903–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Chobanian AV. Guidelines for the management of hypertension. Med Clin N Am. 2017;101:219–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Livingston JM. Blood pressure, normal and abnormal. Can Med Assoc J. 1934;30(1):54–7.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Folkov B. Physiological aspects of primary hypertension. Physiol Rev. 1982;62:347–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Julius S, Nesbitt SD, Egan BM, et al. For the trial of preventing hypertension (TROPHY) Study Investigators. Feasibility of treating prehypertension with an angiotensin receptor blocker. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1685–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Luders S, Schrader J, Berger J, et al. PHARAO Study Group. The PHARAO study: prevention of hypertension with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril in patients with high-normal blood pressure: a prospective, randomized controlled prevention trial of the German Hypertension League. J Hypertens. 2008:26:1487–96.

    Google Scholar 

  20. The ACCORD Study Group. Effect of intensive blood pressure control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. 2010;362:1575–85.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. The SPRINT Research Group. A randomized trial of intensive versus standard blood pressure control. N Engl J Med. 2015;373:2103–16.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Whelton PK, Carey RM, Aronov WS, et al. ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APHA/ASH/ ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Hypertension, Published online November 13, 2017. http://hyper.Ahajonrnals.Org/early/2017/11/10hgp.0000000000000066.

  23. The 1984 report of the Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of high blood pressure. Arch Intern Med. 1984;144:1045–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. World Health Organization: Report of a WHO Expert committee. Arterial hypertension. WHO Techn Rep Ser, 628; 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Takeshita A, Mark AL. Decreased venous distensibility in borderline hypertension. Hypertension. 1979;1:202.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Julius S, Hanson L, Andrew L, Gnbrandsson T, Sivertsson R, Svensson A. Borderline hypertension. Acta Med Scand. 1980;208:481–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Body build and blood pressure study—US Society of Actuaries 1939.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hay J. The significance of a raised blood pressure. Br Med J. 1931;3679:43–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Levy RL, White PD, Stroud WD, Hillman CC. Transient tachycardia. JAMA. 1945;129(9):585–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Julius S, Kacirot N, Egan BM, Nesbitt S, Michelson EL. For the trial of prevention of hypertension (TROPHY) Investigators. TROPHY study: outcomes based on the seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Hypertension definition of hypertension. J Am Soc Hypertens. 2008;2(1):39–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Reuven Zimlichman

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Stevo Julius

  3. Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy

    Giuseppe Mancia

Authors
  1. Reuven Zimlichman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stevo Julius
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Giuseppe Mancia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Reuven Zimlichman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Reuven Zimlichman

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Stevo Julius

  3. Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy

    Giuseppe Mancia

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Zimlichman, R., Julius, S., Mancia, G. (2019). History of Prehypertension: Past and Present, a Saga of Misunderstanding and Neglect. In: Zimlichman, R., Julius, S., Mancia, G. (eds) Prehypertension and Cardiometabolic Syndrome. Updates in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75310-2_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75310-2_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75309-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-75310-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation