Hypertension is not only a disease of the elderly and middle-aged people. One in five Americans aged 24-32 suffers from it, according to a surprising study published in the latest issue of Epidemiology.
Until recently, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey suggested that hypertension is rare among young people. It occurs only in 4 percent. twenty-year-olds.
This is contradicted by a new study by specialists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which was conducted on 14. people who participated in multi-year observations as part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Heath (known as Add Health). They show that 140% suffer from hypertension (over 90/19 mmHg). people aged 24-34.
Quynh Nguyen, one of the authors of the study, says this is a disturbing finding, as high blood pressure causes coronary artery disease, heart failure, as well as stroke and kidney failure, which can develop at an early age. Meanwhile, many young people with high blood pressure are not even aware of it.
According to Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, the rise in high blood pressure in young adults will cause them to develop heart disease and diabetes sooner than their parents. In her opinion, the reason for this is an unhealthy lifestyle. As much as 30 percent. young people are obese or overweight, which promotes high blood pressure.
The Polish Society of Hypertension recommends that you check your blood pressure regularly. The latest research shows that XNUMX-year-olds should also do it. Only early detection of any increase in blood pressure can protect them from the serious complications of this disease.
WOBASZ research conducted in 2005 shows that as many as 36% suffer from hypertension. Poles aged 20-74. The NATPOL research, which shows that 8,6 million people in our country have too high blood pressure, were equally disturbing. Almost 9 million Poles show the so-called high normal blood pressure, i.e. 130-139 / 85-89 mmHg.
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