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Systolic blood pressure (BP) of less than 140 mm Hg and diastolic BP less than 90 mm Hg were for years considered as normal. Mounting evidence suggest that BP in the high reference range is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The ESH report of 2006 defined it as "high normal" and the seventh report of the Join National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure defined a new BP category “Prehypertension” for systolic and diastolic BP: 120 to 139 mm Hg and 85 to 89 mm Hg, respectively. This new category is a continuum to hypertension and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
In most developing countries and in the urban areas of many countries, one in five to one in three adults fall in the category of prehypertension. Recommendation and guidelines in the field have substantial public health importance and enormous economic consequences.
Prehypertension is associated with other components of the metabolic syndrome i.e. obesity, glucose intolerance and dyslipidemia. The association is due to common mechanistic pathways and has implications on cardiovascular complications. Diet and exercise but not drug therapy benefit all components of the metabolic syndrome. Antihypertensive medications may lead to deterioration in glucose tolerance while glucose lowering agents may affect blood pressure. Thus, any discussion about the approach to prehypertension must be done in context to the whole cardio metabolic risk.
On this background we initiated International Conference on Prehypertension and Cardio Metabolic Syndrome. The conference will focus on the public health impact, identification, etiology and pathogenesis of prehypertension as well as on intervention for preventing the adverse outcome of this prevalent condition.
New insights and guidelines will be presented in the pursuit of better understanding and therapy of early stages of high blood pressure. Pharmaceutical companies are active in testing the place of novel anti hypertensive drugs on patients with prehypertension. The conference provides a platform for presentation of basic and clinical rails research results on novel therapies.
You are cordially invited to participate in the International Conference on Prehypertension and Cardio Metabolic Syndrome, February 24-27, 2011. Looking forward to seeing you in Vienna.
Yours sincerely,
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Prehypertension and Cardio Metabolic Syndrome International Conference Secretariat 