Checking children’s blood pressure at age seven could predict potentially fatal medical events decades in the future
A preliminary study has revealed the impact elevated blood pressure can have at any stage of life, not merely during someone’s later years. The research discovered that checking a child’s blood pressure at around seven years old could forecast their chances of dying from heart disease by their mid-50s.
Scientists found that youngsters with raised blood pressure faced a 40% to 50% higher risk of death over the following five decades of their existence. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions and published in the JAMA journal over the weekend.
Lead researcher Dr Alexa Freedman told News Medical: “We were surprised to find that high blood pressure in childhood was linked to serious health conditions many years later.
“Specifically, having hypertension or elevated blood pressure as a child may increase the risk of death by 40% to 50% over the next five decades of a person’s life. Our results highlight the importance of screening for blood pressure in childhood and focusing on strategies to promote optimal cardiovascular health beginning in childhood.
“Even in childhood, blood pressure numbers are important because high blood pressure in children can have serious consequences throughout their lives. It is crucial to be aware of your child’s blood pressure readings.”
This study is the first to examine both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings in childhood and their impact on long-term cardiovascular mortality risk. The research tracked 38,000 children who had their blood pressure measured at age seven, using the National Death Index to monitor participants’ survival until 2016.
Upon follow-up when the children reached an average age of 54, it was found that those with higher blood pressure were more likely to die prematurely from cardiovascular disease. Those in the top 10% for their age, sex and height were most at risk.
Even children with moderate elevations in blood pressure, still within the normal range, had a 13% to 18% increased chance of premature cardiovascular death. The study also analysed siblings, indicating that shared genetics and childhood environments didn’t fully account for the influence of blood pressure.
The study took into account other factors, such as BMI, that could potentially affect cardiovascular risk. Therefore, the results purely demonstrated the impact of blood pressure, rather than reflecting the outcomes of childhood obesity.
However, the study did have some limitations, including only having one blood pressure measurement for each child at age seven. This means it may not have captured long-term patterns or consistent blood pressure levels.
Earlier studies have indicated that high blood pressure in childhood can lead to a higher risk of heart disease in adulthood. A 2022 study discovered that older children with high blood pressure, averaging around 12 years old, had an increased risk of dying from heart disease in their mid-forties.
However, it’s important to note that this study has not yet been peer-reviewed and its findings are considered preliminary until they are published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.