Childhood High Blood Pressure Linked to 50% Higher Risk of Early Cardiovascular Death
TL;DR
Monitoring children's blood pressure early provides a health advantage, reducing cardiovascular death risk by 40-50% and promoting longer, healthier lives.
The study analyzed 38,000 children, finding systolic and diastolic pressure at age 7 linked to 40-50% higher cardiovascular death risk by mid-50s.
Early blood pressure screening and heart-healthy habits in childhood can prevent premature deaths and improve lifelong cardiovascular health for future generations.
Childhood blood pressure predicts adult cardiovascular risk, with top 10% readings increasing early death likelihood by nearly half over five decades.
Found this article helpful?
Share it with your network and spread the knowledge!
Children with higher blood pressure at age 7 face significantly increased risk of premature cardiovascular death by their mid-50s, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025 and simultaneously published in JAMA. The study found that both elevated blood pressure (90-94th percentile) and hypertension (≥95th percentile) were associated with approximately 40% to 50% higher risk of early cardiovascular death in adulthood.
The research, led by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine assistant professor Alexa Freedman, Ph.D., analyzed data from approximately 38,000 children who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project between 1959-1965. By 2016, after follow-up through an average age of 54 years, 2,837 participants had died, with 504 deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease. The risk was highest for children whose blood pressure measurements were in the top 10% for their age, sex, and height.
Even moderate elevations in blood pressure within the normal range showed significant impact. Children with moderately higher than average blood pressure had a 13% (systolic) and 18% (diastolic) higher risk of premature cardiovascular death. The findings remained consistent even when comparing siblings, with children having higher blood pressure at age 7 showing 15-19% increased risk compared to their siblings with lower readings, indicating that shared family environment could not fully explain the mortality risk.
The study's implications are profound for pediatric healthcare practices. Clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics already recommend checking blood pressure at annual well-child appointments starting at age 3. This research strengthens the evidence supporting regular blood pressure monitoring as a crucial metric of cardiovascular health in childhood.
Bonita Falkner, M.D., FAHA, an American Heart Association volunteer expert and emeritus professor at Thomas Jefferson University, noted that these findings contribute to more accurate definitions of abnormal blood pressure and hypertension in childhood. The research underscores the importance of developing heart-healthy habits early in life to mitigate long-term cardiovascular risks.
Study limitations include reliance on single blood pressure measurements at age 7, which may not capture variability or long-term patterns. Additionally, participants were primarily Black or white children from the 1960s-1970s, potentially limiting generalizability to other racial/ethnic groups and contemporary children with different lifestyle factors. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
Curated from NewMediaWire
