Prehypertension in Young Adults May Lead to Heart Problems

Young adults with even slightly above-normal blood pressure may be more likely to have heart problems later, a new study suggests. The study focused on nearly 2,500 men and women. They were 18 to 30 years old when the study began. Researchers kept track of them for 25 years. They took a closer look at people’s health 7 times during those years. The check-ups included blood pressure readings. Near the end of the study, people also had heart imaging tests. Some people had slightly above-normal blood pressure (120/80 to 139/89) when they were still under age 30. This level is not high enough to be considered high blood pressure. It is known as prehypertension. But researcher found that people with above-normal blood pressure were more likely to have signs of heart disease in middle age. In particular, they were more likely to have problems with the left ventricle of the heart.