Blood Pressure⁤ Risks Vary Among Asian ethnic Groups

⁢ updated June 06, 2025
‍ ⁢

A recent study in hypertension highlights significant differences ⁤in blood pressure patterns between South Asian and East Asian adults in the UK, impacting their ⁢cardiovascular disease risk. The research underscores the need for tailored screening and treatment approaches for these distinct populations to improve high blood pressure management.

Researchers analyzed data from over 3,400 UK Biobank participants⁤ of South Asian and East Asian descent. The findings reveal⁤ that South Asian ‍adults tend to develop high blood pressure earlier and more rapidly than their East Asian counterparts. This early onset is associated with increased lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease.

So Mi Jemma Cho, lead study author and postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts⁤ General Hospital, emphasized the importance of disaggregating the “Asian” category in health research. “High blood pressure and its management varies widely across racial and ethnic populations, and the frequently used ‘Asian’⁣ category hides those differences,” ‍cho ⁤said.

The study tracked participants’ heart disease events using⁣ hospitalization and outpatient records, factoring in smoking status, diet, and social determinants⁢ of health. projections indicated that South Asian men, on average, reach⁢ a systolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or higher a decade earlier than East Asian⁢ men (age 36 vs. 46). For women,the gap was ⁢seven ⁢years (45 vs. 52).

For⁣ East Asian adults, elevated blood ⁤pressure in midlife was linked ⁢to a higher risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Even at 65⁣ and older, high blood pressure correlated with an⁤ increased risk of stroke. ⁣Each standard deviation increase in ⁤midlife systolic blood pressure nearly doubled ⁤the risk for ‍ASCVD and quadrupled the risk of stroke.

Pradeep Natarajan, senior study author and associate professor ⁤at Harvard Medical School, noted the implications for personalized care. “These findings demonstrate the need to tailor⁣ blood pressure screenings and treatment timing for different Asian subpopulations to advance personalized care and prevention⁤ strategies for historically understudied communities,” Natarajan said.

“These findings demonstrate the need to tailor blood pressure screenings and treatment timing for different Asian⁣ subpopulations to advance personalized care and prevention strategies for historically⁤ understudied communities,” said senior study author Pradeep Natarajan, M.D., M.M.Sc., ⁣an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

What’s next

Further research is⁤ needed to explore the interplay of social factors and genetics contributing to⁢ varying experiences of hypertension among Asian populations, paving the way for more⁢ effective prevention and treatment strategies.