Prehypertension

Slightly elevated blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke. Work with your doctor to bring your numbers down.
Don’t take prehypertension lightly. A review published in the journal Neurology found that people with slightly elevated blood pressure were 50 percent more likely to suffer a stroke compared with people with normal blood pressure levels, even after accounting for other risk factors like age, diabetes, obesity, cholesterol and smoking.
Systolic blood pressure levels (the top number) between 120 and 139 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure levels (the bottom number) between 80 and 89 mmHg are considered prehypertensive.
Along with high blood pressure, hypertension also increases the risk of heart attack, heart disease and heart failure. Unless you take steps to lower your numbers, hypertension usually turns into high blood pressure. Be sure to work with your doctor to bring your numbers down. Medication and lifestyle changes — like losing weight, exercising, and eating a heart-healthy, low-sodium diet — can all help get blood pressure under control.