High Blood Pressure in Childhood Linked to Later Life Risks
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High Childhood Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Risk: Researchers at Northwestern found that having high blood pressure by age seven significantly increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease later in life. even moderately elevated blood pressure in childhood was linked to a higher risk.
Study Details:
The study involved 38,000 children (primarily Black and white).
data was collected from a long-term study (starting in 1959) across multiple U.S. states.
Blood pressure was measured when the children were seven years old.
Follow-up data was analyzed up to 2016, when participants were in their 50s.
Outcomes:
Over 2,800 participants had died by 2016.
Over 500 of those deaths were due to cardiovascular disease.
Previous Research: This study reinforces earlier findings that link childhood blood pressure to increased cardiovascular disease risk in adulthood. A 2022 study showed elevated blood pressure in older children/preteens also increased risk of cardiovascular death in middle age.
* Cardiovascular Disease in the US: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
