Most people know that high blood pressure is bad for the heart, but many focus only on the top number of a blood pressure reading.
New research suggests that the bottom number is also important, especially for younger adults.
Blood pressure readings contain two numbers. Systolic pressure measures the force created when the heart pumps blood through the body.
Diastolic pressure measures the pressure inside the arteries while the heart is resting before the next beat. Both numbers help doctors understand how hard the heart and blood vessels are working.
Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark followed more than 107,000 adults for 26 years to learn which measurement best predicts future heart disease.
The study, published in Hypertension, included adults aged 19 to 97 who had no heart disease at the beginning.
As expected, systolic blood pressure was the strongest overall predictor of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease. This finding explains why doctors often pay close attention to the upper number during routine health checks.
The researchers also found an important age difference. For people younger than 50, higher diastolic pressure added meaningful information about future cardiovascular risk. This means that younger adults should not assume everything is fine simply because their systolic pressure looks normal.
Another measurement called mean arterial pressure, which combines both blood pressure values, also accurately predicted heart disease. This suggests that considering the whole blood pressure picture may improve risk assessment.
High blood pressure affects millions of people worldwide and often develops without warning signs. Regular blood pressure checks allow doctors to detect problems early, when lifestyle changes and treatment are most effective.
Experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, reducing salt intake, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, and taking prescribed medicines when necessary. These habits help protect the heart regardless of age.
This long-term study shows that both blood pressure numbers provide valuable information. Paying attention to the entire reading, rather than only one number, may help identify people at risk earlier and support healthier lives.
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 health information, please see recent studies that beetroot juice could help reduce blood pressure, and results showing cinnamon could help lower high blood pressure.
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