Overview
- Researchers tracked 291,887 Korean adults from age 30 and found that higher cumulative blood pressure between 30 and 40 predicted more heart and kidney disease after 40.
- People whose systolic pressure, the top number, ran about 10 mmHg higher for a decade had a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease.
- A 5 mmHg rise in diastolic pressure, the bottom number, across the same years was linked to a 20% higher heart disease risk and a 16% higher kidney disease risk.
- Cardiologists say the results support earlier screening and tighter management for people under 40 who show persistent elevation, even when short‑term risk calculators look low.
- The American Heart Association’s 2025 guidance advises treating stage 1 hypertension after 3 to 6 months of lifestyle changes, which include a balanced diet, less alcohol, stress control, healthy weight, and quitting smoking.