A recent study has revealed that closely managing blood pressure can significantly lower the risk of heart problems in individuals at high risk of heart disease.
This approach aims to reduce the systolic blood pressure (the top number in blood pressure readings) to below 120 mm Hg, which is more effective than the standard target of less than 140 mm Hg.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a widespread health issue and a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and other heart diseases. Effectively managing blood pressure is crucial to reducing the risk of these life-threatening conditions.
The Effective Systolic Pressure Reduction Intervention Trial (ESPRIT) was conducted in China to assess how intensive blood pressure management affects the occurrence of major heart-related events in people at higher risk of heart disease.
Intensive Treatment Reduces Cardiovascular Events: The study found that individuals who received intensive blood pressure treatment, targeting a systolic pressure of less than 120 mm Hg, experienced a 12% reduction in major cardiovascular events.
These events include heart attacks, strokes, deaths related to cardiovascular problems, revascularization procedures, and hospitalizations for heart failure.
Significant Reduction in Cardiovascular Deaths: The intensive treatment approach resulted in a remarkable 39% reduction in deaths caused by cardiovascular problems, meaning fewer people in this group suffered fatal heart-related events.
Lower Risk of Death from Any Cause: Overall, the intensive treatment strategy reduced the risk of death from any cause by 21%. This indicates that intensive blood pressure control has broad health benefits beyond just heart health.
Safety Considerations: The study also examined the safety of intensive blood pressure management and found no significant increase in serious side effects, such as low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalances, injuries from falls, acute kidney problems, or kidney failure.
There was a slight increase in fainting incidents in the intensive treatment group, but these were relatively rare.
These findings underscore the importance of managing high blood pressure, especially in individuals at higher risk of heart disease.
Implementing intensive blood pressure control can save lives and reduce the global burden of heart-related issues, making it a vital strategy in heart disease prevention and management.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about how diets could help lower high blood pressure, and 3 grams of omega-3s a day keep high blood pressure at bay.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about how tea and coffee influence your risk of high blood pressure, and results showing this olive oil could reduce blood pressure in healthy people.
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