High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is one of the leading causes of heart disease and early death around the world. It affects millions of adults and often develops without any obvious symptoms.
Many people feel completely healthy even when their blood pressure is dangerously high.
Over time, however, high blood pressure can slowly damage the heart, brain, kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels. If it is not treated, it can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, and other serious health problems.
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers. The first, called systolic blood pressure, is the pressure inside the arteries when the heart pumps blood around the body.
The second, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. For many years, doctors have believed that both numbers should stay within a healthy range.
They have also worried that lowering the bottom number, the diastolic pressure, too much during treatment might reduce blood flow to important organs, especially the heart.
A major new international study suggests that this concern may not be as important as once thought.
Researchers from NUI Galway and several other research institutions analyzed health information from more than 47,000 people from around the world to better understand whether very low diastolic blood pressure increases health risks.
The researchers carefully examined the relationship between blood pressure levels and major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.
They found no convincing evidence that lowering diastolic blood pressure to low levels caused harm. This challenges the long-standing belief that there is a dangerous lower limit for the bottom blood pressure number.
Instead, the findings suggest that controlling systolic blood pressure may be much more important. Systolic pressure is widely considered the stronger predictor of heart disease and stroke, especially in middle-aged and older adults.
As people age, their arteries naturally become stiffer, causing systolic blood pressure to rise while diastolic pressure may stay the same or even fall. Because of this, focusing treatment on the top number may provide greater protection against serious health problems.
Based on their analysis, the researchers suggested that many people with high blood pressure may benefit from keeping their systolic blood pressure between 100 and 130 mmHg. According to the study, this range appears to provide good protection against cardiovascular disease, even if the diastolic pressure falls lower than doctors once considered ideal.
If future studies confirm these findings, they could influence the way doctors treat high blood pressure. Instead of worrying about reducing diastolic pressure too much, healthcare providers may place greater attention on reaching healthy systolic blood pressure targets.
This could allow more patients to receive effective treatment that lowers their risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications.
Even with advances in treatment, preventing high blood pressure remains the best approach. Healthy lifestyle habits can make a major difference. Maintaining a healthy body weight, eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products, and reducing salt intake all help lower blood pressure.
Health experts generally recommend limiting sodium to no more than 2,300 milligrams each day, with lower amounts offering extra benefits for many people.
Regular physical activity is another important step. Walking, cycling, swimming, and other forms of exercise can strengthen the heart and improve blood pressure control. Limiting alcohol, avoiding smoking, getting enough sleep, and managing stress through relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing may also improve heart health.
Because high blood pressure often develops without symptoms, regular blood pressure checks are essential. Early diagnosis allows treatment to begin before permanent damage occurs.
People should also continue taking prescribed medicines unless their doctor advises otherwise, since stopping treatment suddenly can cause blood pressure to rise again.
The study was led by Professor Bill McEvoy and was published in the journal Circulation. The findings provide new evidence that could help improve future treatment guidelines for high blood pressure.
By showing that lowering the bottom blood pressure number may not be as harmful as once believed, the research encourages doctors to focus on the blood pressure target that appears to matter most for protecting long-term heart health.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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