Prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis 1.37 times higher in pre-hypertensive stage

Researchers at Asan Medical Center have found that patients at a pre-hypertensive stage -- systolic 130139mmHg and diastolic 8089mmHg -- have a 1.37 times higher risk of developing coronary atherosclerosis than those with normal blood pressure.

A research team, led by Professor Lee Seung-hwan at Asan Medical Center, has confirmed that patients in the pre-hypertensive stage have a higher risk of suffering from coronary atherosclerosis than those with normal blood pressure.

Coronary arteriosclerosis is a condition in which cholesterol deposits on the walls of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, forming a hard, fibrous membrane called plaque, and causes thrombus when the plaque ruptures, narrowing or blocking the blood vessels. When coronary atherosclerosis occurs, it becomes difficult to supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart, leading to heart diseases like angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and arrhythmia.

The research team, led by Professors Lee Seung-hwan and Lee Pil-hyung of the Department of cardiology, conducted a study on 4,666 subjects who had no heart disease, had never taken antihypertensive drugs and had coronary artery computed tomography (CT) at the AMC from 2007 to 2011. Professor Yoon Yong-hoon of the Department of Cardiology at Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital also participated in the study.

The team divided the subjects of the study into a normal group (systolic below 120 and diastolic below 80mmHg), prehypertension (systolic 120129 and diastolic 80mmHg), stage 1 hypertension (systolic 130139 and diastolic 80~89mmHg), stage 2 hypertension (systolic over 140 and diastolic over 90mmHg) under the U.S. hypertension guidelines.

As a result, the team confirmed that the prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis was 1.12 times higher in the prehypertensive stage, 1.37 times higher in the first stage hypertension, and 1.66 times higher in the second stage hypertension compared to the normal blood pressure group.

“The criteria for diagnosing hypertension in Korea have not changed for about 20 years,” Professor Lee said. “However, as there is a trend of lowering the standard of hypertension worldwide, Korea has needed evidence to support this to lower the standard of hypertension.”

As this study proved that prehypertension has a significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis, the team expects it will make an important contribution to resetting the diagnostic criteria for hypertension in Korea and preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the future, he added.

American Journal of Hypertension has published the study.