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The latest statistics from a newly published 25 year study, conducted at John Hopkins University of Medicine in Baltimore, uncover startling truths into the real impact of elevated blood pressure levels on the scarring and thickening of arteries over time, making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood efficiently — ultimately resulting in heart failure or other severe forms of cardiac disease.
Senior study author, Dr. Joao A.C. Lima, at the cardiology division with Johns Hopkins, summarizes the surprising news, “Many participants were not hypertensive at the beginning of the study; however chronic exposure to higher blood pressure, even within what is considered the normal range is associated with cardiac dysfunction 25 years later. Our findings provide further support for the importance of good risk factor control early in life”. Researchers are now hopeful that early prevention of hypertension could help to prevent middle-aged heart failure.
The study analyzed the function and shape of the participant’s hearts, using echocardiographs, and observed left ventricle dysfunction and marked heart weakness, with a reduced ability to pump blood throughout the body during and between beats. They concluded that participants who experienced higher blood pressure readings in young adulthood were more likely to have heart dysfunction, in comparison to those who maintained lower blood pressure, according to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
In response to the research findings, Leanne Wilson, spokesperson for VascuVite, a natural health and wellness company, said, “The devastating effects of high blood pressure is rarely symptomatic — until irreversible heart, artery and organ damage has occurred. People are not generally motivated to check their blood pressure regularly, because they don’t realize that there could be anything wrong. I encourage everyone to monitor their blood pressure and to proactively defend themselves against the lasting damage caused by hypertension by exercising regularly and getting yearly check-ups.”
Those interested in learning more about the results of this study should visit http://vascuvite.com/articles/blood-pressure-young-adults/.
Release ID: 88868