Three-year follow-up of middle-aged men with low blood pressure

The blood pressure (BP) development in 142 middle-aged men with BP within the lower region of the BP distribution (supine BP less than or equal to 120/70 mmHg) has been studied. Over a 3-year period there was a moderate but significant rise in supine systolic BP but not in supine diastolic BP. However, no subject developed hypertension defined as supine BP greater than or equal to 175/105 mmHg. These findings support the assumption that among middle-aged men the hypertensives are recruited from the upper part of the BP distribution. Subjects with low BP may be rescreened at longer intervals, if at all.