Effect of Blood Pressure on Cardiovascular Diseases at 10-Year Follow-Up

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The 2017 ACC/AHA guideline for hypertension management was recently published.
• Data on hypertension prevalence and cardiovascular prognosis in non-Western ethnic groups are limited.
• The guideline's applicability to diverse populations requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of newly classified hypertension in Korean adults using the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline.
• To assess the association between blood pressure categories and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prognosis in the Korean population.
• To determine the utility of the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline for predicting CVD and mortality in Koreans.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the Korean Health and Genome Study (n = 10,038).
• Standardized measurement of supine blood pressure (BP) with averaging of three readings.
• Statistical analysis to determine the relationship between BP profiles and CVD/mortality risk.

Main Results:

• A significant linear relationship was observed between blood pressure levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality.
• Hazard ratios for CVD increased significantly at systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels above 120 mmHg.
• SBP ≥130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) categories were significantly associated with increased risks of CVD, coronary heart disease, stroke, CVD death, and all-cause mortality.

Conclusions:

• Blood pressure is a critical factor associated with increased risks of CVD and all-cause mortality in the Korean population.
• The newly defined blood pressure categories from the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline demonstrate applicability in predicting CVD and mortality outcomes in Koreans.
• These findings support the use of the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline for hypertension management and risk stratification in the Korean population.