"Hypertension Patients, Blood Pressure Control Can Reduce Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Risk by Up to 60%"

May 17 World Hypertension Day
2 out of 3 Koreans over 70 diagnosed with hypertension
1 in 3 hypertension patients not managing blood pressure

On the 17th, World Hypertension Day, a study revealed that managing blood pressure below the target level in hypertensive patients can reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by up to approximately 60%.

[Image provided by Pixabay]

A research team at the Cardiovascular Center of Korea University Guro Hospital analyzed the prevalence of hypertension and the 20-year risk changes of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in over 38,000 adults aged 18 and older registered in the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2014, arriving at this conclusion.

The study found that patients with a history of hypertension for more than 20 years experienced cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke (12.2%), ischemic heart disease (14.6%), myocardial infarction (5.0%), and angina pectoris (10.6%). However, when blood pressure was managed below the target level, the risks decreased to 37.2% for stroke, 27.7% for ischemic heart disease, 30.7% for myocardial infarction, and 29.4% for angina pectoris, respectively.

The research team explained that typically, when hypertensive patients manage their blood pressure, related chronic diseases also improve concurrently. Considering this, the incidence risk of stroke was analyzed to decrease by 59.2%, ischemic heart disease by 58.6%, myocardial infarction by 55.2%, and angina pectoris by 60.1%. Additionally, although the majority of hypertensive patients in Korea undergo appropriate treatments such as medication, only about 60% of patients manage to keep their blood pressure below the target level.

[Image courtesy of Korea University Guro Hospital]

The prevalence of hypertension by age group was ▲10.7% in their 30s ▲22.4% in their 40s ▲37.6% in their 50s ▲54.2% in their 60s ▲64.8% in their 70s. This means that two out of three adults aged 70 and older suffer from hypertension. The average age of hypertensive patients was analyzed to be 55.8 years, and considering Korea’s life expectancy of 83.5 years, it is estimated that hypertension must be managed for about 30 years if patients survive until their expected lifespan.

Furthermore, when analyzing hypertension prevalence by gender, men were diagnosed with hypertension earlier and had a higher overall prevalence than women. However, when comparing hypertension prevalence by gender in 10-year intervals, the prevalence in men increased by an average of 1.77 times every 10 years, whereas in women it increased more steeply by an average of 2.74 times. After the age of 60, the prevalence in women was higher than in men.

Professor Na Seung-woon of the Cardiovascular Center at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "This study epidemiologically confirmed that managing blood pressure below the target level in hypertensive patients is important for improving the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases up to the expected lifespan," adding, "The fact that about 30-40% of patients still have uncontrolled blood pressure remains a challenge for the cardiology community in Korea."

Professor Choi Byung-geol of Korea University Heart and Vascular Research Institute added, "This study also confirmed gender differences in the prevalence of hypertension among elderly hypertensive patients," emphasizing, "Attention should be paid to the very steep increase in hypertension among women, and further research is needed on prevention strategies and the assessment of complication scales."

This study was published in the latest issue of 'Global Heart,' an SCI-level international journal of the World Heart Federation.

Research team at Korea University Guro Hospital Cardiovascular Center. From the left, Professor Na Seung-woon of Korea University Guro Hospital Cardiovascular Center, Chief Kim Jung-boon of the Pathology Department at Korea University Guro Hospital, Professor Choi Byung-gul of Korea University Heart and Vascular Research Institute, and Professor Lee Min-woo of Korea University Institute of Health Science.
[Photo by Korea University Guro Hospital]

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