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A common belief is that high blood pressure is only important to people as they get older.  We each have an age in our head that we think that we are young (!) … and do not need medicine like “old people” do.  Well, this is false.

A recent Harvard Alumni Health Study shows that blood pressure should be lowered (when elevated) in early adulthood to decrease risk of coronary heart and cardiovascular disease (like heart failure and heart attacks) and death due to heart problems.  The study also showed that increased blood pressure increased all-cause mortality later in life.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology recently published a study showing that the risk for cardiovascular disease mortality was greater in those who had high blood pressure at age 18 even when age, body mass index (measure of obesity), smoking and physical activity were taken into account.  The study followed nearly 19,000 male students who started at age 18 and were followed up at 46 years of age.   Younger patients with hypertension tend to remain unaware of their high blood pressure, are less likely to be on treatment, and less likely to have their blood pressure in a good range.

Have you had your blood pressure checked lately?  (Psssssttt…goal is under 120/80!)