Characteristics of Cardiovascular Morphology and Function in the High-Normal Subset of Hypertension Defined by JNC-VI Recommendations.

116 unmedicated subjects (76 men, 40 women, average age 49 ± 10 years) with normal or high blood pressure, classified into normotensive (n=38), high-normal (n=16), stage 1 (n=28), and stage 2-3 (n=34) hypertension based on JNC-VI criteria.

Cardiovascular morphological and functional parameters measured by ultrasonography (left ventricular mass index, relative wall thickness at end-diastole, cardiac diastolic function A/E, common carotid artery diameter, intimal media thickness, and distensibility).surrogate