the extent to which prehypertension constitutes a serious health concern remains controversial. several long-term studies have suggested no significant increase in all-cause mortality over long periods of time for individuals falling within the prehypertensive range. many studies further indicate a j-shaped relationship between blood pressure and mortality, whereby both very high and very low levels are associated with notable increases in mortality. on the other hand, the national heart, lung, and blood institute suggests that people with prehypertension are at a higher risk for developing hypertension, or high blood pressure, compared to people with normal blood pressure.