MONDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- Healthy people with elevated
levels of albumin in their urine, even within the range considered
normal, are at increased risk for high blood pressure, say
researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
To help prevent cardiovascular disease, the researchers
suggested the definition of normal urinary albumin excretion should
be reconsidered.
Previous research has found that higher levels of urinary
albumin excretion, even within the normal range, are associated
with cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes or
hypertension. But it hasn't been clear whether this was also true
in healthy people.
The Brigham and Women's team analyzed data on 2,179 women
without baseline hypertension or diabetes, and with normal levels
of urine albumin, enrolled in the Nurses' Health Studies. The
researchers found that higher levels of urinary albumin excretion,
even within the normal range, increased a person's risk of
developing hypertension.
Among older women (median age 65), those with the highest levels
of albumin excretion were 76 percent more likely to develop high
blood pressure than those with the lowest levels. Among younger
women (median age 44), those with the highest levels had a 35
percent increased risk.
The study is published inthe October issue of the
Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
These findings, along with the results of other studies, suggest
"it is time to re-evaluate our current concept of 'normal' albumin
excretion," the researchers wrote.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about
high blood pressure.
