"Experts say it's clear that the sooner you take action, the more you can protect yourself. Hypertension is a leading cause of heart disease, which is the #1 cause of death of both men and women in the U.S. High blood pressure also increases the risk of kidney disease and dementia. And, research shows that hypertension can lead to damage in small blood vessels in the brain, which is linked to cognitive decline."
"There's a really enormous preventive health opportunity in treating hypertension earlier," says Dr. Jordana Cohen, a nephrologist and hypertension specialist at the University of Pennsylvania. She says millions of adults in the U.S. could benefit from medications and lifestyle changes. "If you catch it early, and treat it early, you can end up with many more years of healthy life expectancy," Cohen says, pointing to a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage and dementia."
By age 40, more than half of Americans have high blood pressure, and many remain unaware because hypertension usually causes no symptoms. New American Heart Association recommendations lower the hypertension treatment threshold to systolic readings above 130/80 mm Hg to encourage earlier intervention with lifestyle modification and medications. Untreated high blood pressure raises risks for heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and dementia through small-vessel brain damage linked to cognitive decline. Effective prevention includes low-sodium diets, reduced ultra-processed food intake, regular exercise, limiting alcohol, stress-reduction practices, and earlier medical treatment to extend healthy life expectancy.
Read at www.npr.org
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