Early Blood Pressure Problems Signal Heart Trouble

Study of young American Indians found hypertension raised risk for enlarged heart

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MONDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Young people who have elevated blood pressure are at risk of having an abnormally enlarged heart, according to new research.

The study, published in Circulation, included 1,944 American Indians (average age 26.5). The participants were taking part in the Strong Heart Study, an ongoing investigation of cardiovascular risk factors and disease in 13 American Indian communities.

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Of the participants, 294 (15 percent) had hypertension and 675 (35 percent ) had prehypertension.

Having hypertension or prehypertension was associated with a higher risk of having changes in the heart structure associated with increased cardiovascular risk, including higher left ventricular wall thickness, higher left ventricular mass and higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy. The prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy was three times higher among the participants with hypertension and two times higher among those with prehypertension, compared to participants with normal blood pressure.

"The frequency of heart abnormalities in these younger participants is similar to that found in the middle-age or adult population of hypertensives who are at risk for adverse events," senior study author Richard Devereux, a professor of medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, said in a prepared statement.

"The findings are a wake-up call for increased preventive measures and to head off heart disease with lifestyle modifications, such as reducing caloric intake and increasing physical activity in this population," Devereux added.

Prehypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure (the "top number") higher than 120 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) but lower than 140 mmHg, or a diastolic pressure (the "bottom number") higher than 80 mmHg and lower than 90 mmHg, or both. Hypertension is systolic pressure higher than 140 mmHg or diastolic pressure higher than 90 mmHg.

More information

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about high blood pressure.

-- Krisha McCoy