Recent research from NUI Galway and other institutions has challenged long-standing beliefs about the risks of lowering diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number in a blood pressure reading.
The study found no evidence that reducing diastolic blood pressure to levels previously considered too low poses any harm to patients.
This discovery could significantly change how doctors manage high blood pressure, a condition that affects millions worldwide and is a leading cause of premature death.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major global health concern, affecting more than one in four men and one in five women. It is well-known as a risk factor for heart attacks and is also linked to brain, kidney, and other diseases.
Additionally, high blood pressure has recently been identified as a significant underlying condition that increases the risk of severe outcomes in patients infected with COVID-19.
Traditionally, doctors have been cautious about lowering diastolic blood pressure too much, fearing that levels below 70-90 mmHg could increase the risk of heart disease.
However, this new study, which analyzed genetic and survival data from over 47,000 patients worldwide, suggests that these concerns may be unfounded.
The research team, led by Bill McEvoy, examined data from 47,407 patients, with a median age of 60, across five different groups. They found no evidence of a lower limit for normal diastolic blood pressure.
Specifically, the study showed that even when diastolic blood pressure was as low as 50 mmHg, there was no increased risk of heart disease. This finding contradicts the previous understanding that excessively low diastolic pressure could be harmful.
Moreover, the study reaffirmed the importance of controlling systolic blood pressure, the top number in a blood pressure reading. The researchers confirmed that systolic readings above 120 mmHg are associated with a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
This highlights the need to prioritize managing elevated systolic blood pressure rather than focusing excessively on maintaining diastolic pressure within a certain range.
For many years, doctors have aimed to keep diastolic blood pressure within the 70-90 mmHg range, often under-treating patients with persistently high systolic pressure out of concern for lowering diastolic pressure too much.
The findings of this study suggest that this approach may need to be reconsidered. The research indicates that doctors should focus more on lowering elevated systolic blood pressure to a target range of 100-130 mmHg, without worrying about diastolic pressure falling too low.
This study, published in the journal Circulation, could lead to significant changes in how hypertension is treated.
The researchers’ advice is clear: prioritize reducing high systolic blood pressure and do not be overly concerned if diastolic pressure drops below the previously accepted range.
By shifting the focus to systolic pressure, doctors may be able to more effectively manage high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in their patients.
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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