Revisiting the prehypertension debate: increasing evidence for treatment yet randomized clinical trials are lacking.

In 2009, Blood Pressure featured a debate about whether to treat patients with prehypertension (Kiely et al., Blood Press. 2009;18:300-303; McInnes GT, Blood Press. 2009;18:304-307). Our group supported pharmacotherapy for this condition at that time. Since then, additional evidence linking prehypertension with associated morbidities has emerged. These studies are detailed below and provide further evidence for the treatment of prehypertension.