Hypertension Increases Risk of Death from Heart Disease

High blood pressure early in life increases the risk of dying from heart disease, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers assessed the age of onset hypertension across two generations and noted heart disease morality for Framingham Heart Study participants. Those whose parents had early-onset hypertension increased their risk of developing hypertension themselves later in life, compared with those whose parents had late-onset hypertension. Those who developed high blood pressure before the age of 45 increased their risk of death from heart disease more than those who developed hypertension after the age of 65. The authors suggest clinicians consider age, especially familial history of early-onset hypertension, when assessing hypertension risk.