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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : March 13, 2014 3:44 PM IST
New research suggests s that signs of heart disease can be spotted early on, when you turn 18, especially if you have an elevated blood pressure. The 25-year comprehensive study is the first to identify different long-term patterns of blood pressure levels and resulting cardiovascular risk. 'Blood pressure in young adulthood can impact risk for heart disease later in life,' cautioned Norrina Allen, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Illinois-based Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
'We can't wait until middle age to address it. If we can prevent their blood pressure from increasing earlier in life, we can reduce their risk of future heart attacks and stroke,' Allen suggested. The study found distinct blood pressure patterns from ages 18 to 55 that reveal people at high risk for calcification of coronary arteries - a marker for heart disease - by middle age. Also known as hardening of the arteries, these calcium deposits can narrow coronary arteries and increase heart attack risk. (Read: Want to lower your blood pressure? Be happy!)
'We can prescribe lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity or a better diet that can prevent them from developing hypertension and a higher risk of disease,' the researchers added. According to Donald Lloyd-Jones, a cardiologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 'In people with higher blood pressure, earlier intervention with lifestyle and with medication, when needed, is important'. (Read: Better medicines for high blood pressure maybe on its way)
'Although blood pressure can be quickly lowered with medication, the damage to the heart and blood vessels that is caused by time spent with elevated blood pressure tends to remain. We can't put the horse all the way back in the barn,' he warned. The study used data from 4,681 participants in the 'coronary artery risk development in young adults' study from baseline years 1985-86 through 25 years of follow-up.
The participants were 18 to 25 years old when the study began and from four urban sites including Chicago, Birmingham, Minneapolis and Oakland. The highest risk group had elevated blood pressure compared to their peers at age 18, but it was still within the range considered normal. This developed into hypertension by middle age and they were four times more likely to have coronary artery calcification, noted the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Read: How beetroot can help reduce high BP or hypertension)
What is hypertension or high blood pressure?
High blood pressure or hypertension is the leading cause of premature deaths worldwide. It is a major risk factor for heart attacks and heart failure. But elevated blood pressure is linked to a more than just heart disease! Long standing hypertension can cause problems with your vision (hypertensive retinopathy) and decrease blood supply to your legs. It can cause stroke, bleeding from large blood vessel (aortic aneurysm), chronic kidney disease (hypertensive nephropathy), etc. Here are ten ways high blood pressure affects your body.
Affects the blood vessels
In hypertension the wall of the blood vessels lose their elasticity and become firm or hard, a condition called arteriosclerosis. Because of the constant pressure the walls of the artery become weak and over time, may cause a part of it to bulge. This forms an aneurysm (distension or a pouch-like structure in the vessel wall) which can rupture and is invariably fatal.
Fails your heart
High blood pressure thickens and damages the lining of the blood vessels of the heart.The damaged blood vessels are prone to the formation of clots which can grow and block the blood supply to the heart. This can reduce the efficiency of the heart and also damage its tissues leading to angina (chest pain). Increased blood pressure also increases the workload of the heart.This causes thickening of its muscle wall especially the left ventricle (left ventricular hypertrophy)which in turn compromises the heart's ability to pump enough blood to the different organs eventually leading to heart failure. Read more
Herbal remedies for hypertension (Gallery)
With inputs from IANS
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