Higher Heart Rate Predicts the Risk of Developing Hypertension
November 26th, 2007 | by David Reiner, M.D. | 
An elevated heartrate is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular illness and death. This study looked at whether an elevated heartrate in people with normal blood pressure was linked to developing elevated blood pressure in the future.
Subjects were grouped in quartiles(4 groups) based on ranges of heartrates. There was a significant association with the development of high blood pressure in subjects with elevated heartrates. Each group of patients with higher heartrates had a progressively increased risk of becoming hypertensive. Subjects with elevated heartrates were also more likely to have features of the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome is a group of characteristics that include abdominal obesity, elevated blood sugar levels, and elevated blood pressure or cholesterol.
Subjects with elevated heartrates should be followed closely for the development for high blood pressure.
Reference: Inoue T et al., Circulation Journal 2007 Nov;71(11):1755-60.
Tags: heartrate, hypertension, metabolic syndrome