Is It True Managing Blood Pressure Makes You Live Longer?

blood pressure and live longer

The answer is yes according to a study on high blood pressure published by the American Heart Association and that longer life is calculated at an additional five years.

The University of Rotterdam's Department of Public Health created a research report from a study called 'Framingham Heart Study'. The purpose was to study the length of life in relation to hypertension complications and a group of 3,128 participants composed of adults with both hypertension issues and normal blood pressure at fifty years of age was analized.

The study was intended to compare individuals at age 50 with hypertension both with and without heart problems to those who have normal blood pressure levels and the effect of these conditions in relation to the length of life that might be expected. This information was collected over a period of about 28 years and concentrated on those who were age 50 at the time of the study.

Several irregularities were taken into account like BMI, smoking, age and other issues. The findings were that there was an average of an additional five years for those who had a normal range of blood pressure over those who had hypertension and those with normal blood pressure experienced more years free of any cardiovascular problems. Actually, when looking at men side by side at 50 years of age the ones who had normal pressure of the blood outlived those with hypertension by up to seven years. Those individuals who did develop cardiovascular disease seemed to have an extra two years without any complications over those with hypertension.

These findings were even greater than was expected before doing the study and it was the same whether it was men or women.

The goal you set for you own levels of blood pressure will be directly related to your own danger of developing cardiovascular disease or having a stroke. According to the statistics of the authorities, the majority of mature individuals should set a goal of blood pressure ranging under the highest possible normal reading of 140/90 mm Hg. If there are any complications like kidney disease or diabetes, the goal should be much lower, 130/80 mm Hg. Ultimately, the goal you are trying to reach should be left up to your health care professional.

For the majority of adults, managing blood pressure has to do with changing daily living habits to healthier ones like exercising, quitting smoking, reducing salt intake, better eating habits and reducing the intake of alcohol. If this does not lower the blood pressure to acceptable levels, your health care professional may add blood pressure medicine to help manage your blood pressure levels.