Scientists from the University of Gothenburg have shared new research that highlights the importance of treating high blood pressure more effectively. Their studies suggest that many people with hypertension may not be getting enough help to lower their risk of serious health problems like heart attacks, strokes, and early death.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is one of the most common health problems in the world. It’s also one of the top causes of illness and death—but it can often be treated. In Sweden, more than one in four adults has high blood pressure.
If not treated properly, it can lead to heart attacks (also known as myocardial infarctions), strokes, and other life-threatening conditions.
In one of their studies, the researchers looked at older adults who had high blood pressure but no history of heart attack or stroke. They wanted to find out how different levels of blood pressure affected the chances of having a heart attack or stroke in the future.
They found that people whose systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) was below 130 mmHg were about 40% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those whose systolic blood pressure was between 130 and 139 mmHg. This shows that aiming for a lower blood pressure could lead to much better health outcomes.
Another study focused on patients with a condition called atrial fibrillation—a heart rhythm problem. These patients were already taking blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots.
The researchers discovered that those with systolic blood pressure between 140 and 179 mmHg were twice as likely to suffer from a type of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain) compared to those with blood pressure in the 130–139 mmHg range. This supports the idea that keeping blood pressure well controlled is especially important for people at high risk of stroke.
A third large study looked at health records from more than 259,000 people with high blood pressure. The results were concerning: 9 out of 10 of these patients either didn’t have their blood pressure under control, had high cholesterol, or were smokers.
These are all major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. This means that most people with hypertension also had other health problems that were not being managed well, increasing their chances of serious illness or death.
Taken together, the findings show that many people with high blood pressure may not be receiving enough treatment or support. The researchers believe that better treatment—either with medication or healthy lifestyle changes—could greatly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and early death.
They suggest that people with high blood pressure talk with their doctors about how to better manage their condition. This might include adding or adjusting medications, quitting smoking, eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising more, or reducing stress. Even small improvements can make a big difference over time.
The studies were led by Johan-Emil Bager and published in Brain and Behavior and other scientific journals. Their message is clear: controlling high blood pressure more effectively could save many lives.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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