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Analysis of late risk of systemic blood pressures <120/80 mm Hg

Shubha Ananthakrishnan1, Arthur L Klatsky, Natalia Udaltsova

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland California, USA.

The American Journal of Cardiology
|December 14, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Lower blood pressure (BP) levels below 120/80 mm Hg predict future hypertension risk. Optimal blood pressure may be less than 100/70 mm Hg, especially for younger individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor.
  • Current guidelines define elevated blood pressure (BP) as 120-129/80 mm Hg.
  • Optimal BP levels are not definitively established for long-term hypertension prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate BP categories below 120/80 mm Hg as predictors of future hypertension.
  • To identify optimal BP thresholds for long-term cardiovascular health.

Main Methods:

  • Logistic regression analyses were used to assess BP categories.
  • The study included 6 covariates to adjust for confounding factors.
  • Longitudinal data spanning 10 to 22 years were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Progressively increased hypertension risk was observed for systolic BP of 100-109 and 110-119 mm Hg compared to <100 mm Hg.
  • Similarly, diastolic BP of 70-74 and 75-79 mm Hg showed increased risk compared to <70 mm Hg.
  • These associations were consistent across sexes and ethnicities, and more pronounced in individuals under 40.

Conclusions:

  • BP levels <100/70 mm Hg are associated with a lower risk of developing hypertension.
  • These findings suggest a potential redefinition of optimal BP to <100/70 mm Hg.
  • This optimal BP range aligns with typical BP levels observed in healthy children under 10 years old.

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