- New research shows that Black women who develop high blood pressure before the age of 35 may have triple the odds of having a stroke.
- Black people are more likely to have high blood pressure, owing to a multitude of factors.
- Experts say it’s important for both doctors and patients to be aware of this elevated risks and screen accordingly – even for younger women.
- The risk can be managed through lifestyle changes and consultation with a doctor.
A new American Heart Association (AHA) preliminary study shows that younger Black women with high blood pressure could have an increased risk of stroke.
The data, which will be presented next week at the AHA’s
After following up with participants, researchers reported that the women who developed high blood pressure before the age of 35 were more than three times as likely to have a stroke.
The research hasn’t been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal.
Nonetheless, the study’s lead author told Medical News Today that the findings underline the importance of primary prevention and screening for high blood pressure.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is
Dr. Hugo Aparicio, the lead study author and an associate professor of neurology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, told Medical News Today that 10% of study participants younger than 45 and nearly 40% aged 45 to 64 had high blood pressure.
“However, the most concerning finding was that risk of stroke from an early age, such as the second or third decades, appeared to impart the highest risk of a stroke over the period of follow-up,” he explained.
Experts note that since high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, it stands to reason that…
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