This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Objective: In this meta-analysis, we sought to evaluate the association between prehypertension and the risk of stroke.
Methods: We searched PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies with data on prehypertension and stroke. Two independent reviewers assessed the reports and extracted data. Prospective studies were included if they reported multivariate-adjusted relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between stroke and prehypertension or its 2 subranges (low-range prehypertension: 120–129/80–84 mm Hg; high-range prehypertension: 130–139/85–89 mm Hg). We conducted subgroup analyses according to blood pressure ranges, stroke type, endpoint, age, sex, ethnicity, and study characteristics.
Results: Pooled data included the results of 762,393 participants from 19 prospective cohort studies. Prehypertension increased the risk of stroke (RR 1.66; 95% CI 1.51–1.81) compared with optimal blood pressure (<120/80 mm Hg). In the secondary outcome analyses, even low-range prehypertension increased the risk of stroke (RR 1.44; 95% CI 1.27–1.63), and the risk was greater for high-range prehypertension (RR 1.95; 95% CI 1.73–2.21). The RR was higher with high-range than with low-range prehypertension (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in any of the subgroup analyses (all p > 0.05).
Conclusions: After adjusting for multiple cardiovascular risk factors, prehypertension is associated with stroke morbidity. Although the increased risk is largely driven by high-range prehypertension, the risk is also increased in people with low-range prehypertension.
GLOSSARY
- BP=
- blood pressure;
- CI=
- confidence interval;
- CVD=
- cardiovascular disease;
- JNC 7=
- seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure;
- PAR=
- population-attributable risk;
- RR=
- relative risk;
- SE=
- standard error
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Supplemental data at Neurology.org
- Received August 30, 2013.
- Accepted in final form December 26, 2013.
- © 2014 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence
NOTE: All authors' disclosures must be entered and current in our database before comments can be posted. Enter and update disclosures at http://submit.neurology.org. Exception: replies to comments concerning an article you originally authored do not require updated disclosures.
- Stay timely. Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- 200 words maximum.
- 5 references maximum. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- 5 authors maximum. Exception: replies can include all original authors of the article.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.