High Blood Pressure During Teens Linked to Heart Diseases in Adulthood, Study

Young people of 18 or above who have moderate to high blood pressure are likely to develop hardened arteries and cardiovascular diseases by age 50, according to a research from the Northwestern University.

The study, published in the journal of American Medical Association, tracked blood pressure patterns of 4,681 participants for over 25 years from young adulthood to middle age in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adult (CARDIA) study. The participants were men and women between ages 18 and 30 at the beginning of the study in 1985-1986.The researchers identified five blood pressure( BP) patterns- people with low BP, consistently moderate BP, moderate to pre-hypertension level, consistently elevated BP and elevated BP that increased with age.  

It was found that participants with consistently elevated BP were 25 percent likely to develop Coronary Artery Calcification (CAC) or hardened arteries and various heart diseases during their middle age. Those with consistently lower BP and moderate BP that increased with age were at 4 percent greater risk.

Norinna Allen, study author and professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said, "We know blood pressure in and of itself, even at a single point in time, is a strong marker of heart disease risk and this study shows cumulative blood pressure adds up over time and we looked over 25 years. That's a long time to be putting a lot of strain on your heart, it's that cumulative effect." reports FoxNews.com. 

The researchers do not believe in placing young people with moderate to high BP levels on medications instead, they advise a healthy lifestyle with balanced diet and regular exercise.

Allen said, "The beauty of diet and physical activity is we know they have an impact on blood pressure. They are the first line of defense for reducing heart diseases."

The study added the need for further research to explore the connection of BP patterns with various kidney and heart problems.