[Borderline hypertension. Clinical significance and therapy]

Borderline hypertension can be diagnosed, when supine systolic blood pressures lie between 140 and 160 mmHg and diastolic blood pressures lie between 90 and 95 mmHg and when the rise in blood pressure after stimuli such as ergometric work is abnormally high. The causes of hypertension are frequently stress situations, heredity, overweight and high salt intake. Pathophysiologically the increase of heart rate and cardiac index without increase of the peripheral vascular resistance is typical. Stimulation of renin-angiotensin system and sympathoadrenal system are generally found. The diagnostic procedure is like that in essential hypertension. The antihypertensive agents of choice are betablockers and diuretics alone or in combination. It is important to notice that borderline hypertension is not a harmless fact but a not negligible risk for cardiovascular diseases.