The control of important health risk factors can eliminate the early risk of death from high blood pressure

A new study led by researchers from Tulane University suggests that people with high blood pressure can significantly reduce their increased risk of premature death and possibly eliminate by checking several important health risk factors at the same time.

The study published in Precision clinic medicinepursued more than 70,000 people with high blood pressure and over 224,000 without them with data from the British Bio Channel. The researchers followed the participants for almost 14 years to understand how the treatment of these risk factors had an effect on early mortality – defined as dying before the age of 80.

The eight health risk factors assessed in the study include: blood pressure, body mass index, waist size, LDL “bad” cholesterol, blood sugar, kidney function, smoke status and physical activity. In particular, the researchers found that hypertensive patients who had addressed at least four of these risk factors had no higher risk of early death than such without high blood pressure.

Our study shows that control of blood pressure is not the only way to treat hypertensive patients, since high blood pressure can affect these other factors. By combating the individual risk factors, we can help prevent early death for people with high blood pressure. “

Dr. Lu Qi, corresponding author, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor of epidemiology at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University

Hypertension, defined as a blood pressure of 130 mmHg or higher, is the world's leading avoidable risk factor for premature death.

The study showed that the remedy of every additional risk factor with a lower risk of an early death of 13%, a lower risk of an early death of 12% due to cancer and a lower risk of 21% due to cardiovascular diseases, was the world's most common cause of early deaths.

“Optimal risk control” – with 7 or more of the treated risk factors – was associated with 40% less risk of early death, 39% less risk of early death due to cancer and a 53% less risk of early death due to cardiovascular diseases.

“According to our level of knowledge, this is the first study that examines the connection between the control of common risk factors and early mortality in patients with high blood pressure,” said Qi. “It is important that we have found that every hypertension-related excess risk of early death can be completely eliminated by coping with these risk factors.”

Only 7% of the hypertensive participants in the study had seven or more controlling risk factors, which emphasized a great opportunity for prevention. Researchers say that the results underline the importance of a personalized, multifaceted care – not only the prescription of medication for blood pressure, but also a wider range of health behavior and conditions.