Results showed longer duration of hypertension is related to higher risk of stroke, higher average systolic blood pressure and a need for more classes of antihypertension medication.

Virginia J. Howard, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor in the UAB School of Public Health, received the award for her contributions to stroke research.

The importance of preventing hypertension is reinforced by a study showing anti-hypertension medicines can increase stroke risk by 248 percent, according to new UAB School of Public Health research published in the journal Stroke.