A new study funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has warned that young people with 'normal but high' blood pressure could still be at risk of serious health issues. Researchers from University College London (UCL) found that individuals in their thirties and forties with slightly elevated readings may be 'quietly damaging the heart' long before symptoms appear, increasing the chance of a heart attack or stroke later in life.
The study, published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, tracked more than 450 people over several decades. It discovered that those with higher blood pressure in their thirties and forties, as well as in subsequent decades, had reduced blood flow to the heart muscle at age 77. The more years people had higher blood pressure, and the more sharply it rose, the greater the reduction in blood flow.
Dr Gaby Captur, associate professor at UCL and consultant cardiologist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Small, steady increases in blood pressure through adulthood, even if you have a “normal but high” reading, can be quietly damaging the heart, long before symptoms appear. Your blood pressure in your thirties, we found, can affect the heart 40 years later.'
The research highlighted that a systolic reading between 120 and 140mmHg would typically fall short of being classed as high blood pressure, often referred to as 'pre-hypertension'. Currently, medication is recommended for systolic readings over 140 (or over 130 with pre-existing cardiovascular disease). However, the study suggests keeping blood pressure below 120 may help maintain vital blood flow to the heart in later years.
Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the BHF, said: 'Blood pressure is a silent killer, and the most important cause of heart attacks, strokes and early death in the UK each year. This interesting research suggests that we should be encouraging people to get regular blood pressure checks from a younger age, when it is often much easier to control.' He added that doctors should consider earlier lifestyle changes or medication to bring blood pressure under control as soon as it becomes elevated.
