Age Seven Marker Might Forecast Mid-Life Risk of Cardiovascular Demise
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have found a significant correlation between elevated childhood blood pressure and the risk of premature cardiovascular death. The study, which followed a cohort of nearly 38,000 US children born between 1959 and 1965, was presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025, although it has yet to undergo peer-review.
The study, published in JAMA, categorised childhood blood pressure as either normal, elevated, or hypertension based on age-, sex-, and height-specific percentiles according to the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. The findings support the notion that monitoring blood pressure is an important metric of cardiovascular health in childhood, as suggested by Dr Bonita Falkner.
Dr. Freedman emphasised the importance of being aware of a child's blood pressure readings, stating that high blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The study reveals that elevated blood pressure at age 7 is associated with an increased risk of dying prematurely from cardiovascular disease.
Both the elevated blood pressure and hypertension categories were linked with around a 40 to 50 percent higher risk of early cardiovascular death in adulthood. The risk is most prominent for children with blood pressure measurements in the top 10 percent for their age, sex, and height.
Even among children whose blood pressure was within the normal range, moderately higher than average readings had a greater risk of premature cardiovascular death - 13 percent for systolic and 18 percent for diastolic blood pressure. The study controlled for demographic factors and childhood body mass index to ensure the findings were related to childhood blood pressure itself.
By this point, 2,729 individuals had died, with 487 cardiovascular deaths. The evidence for long-term mortality risk associated with elevated blood pressure is limited, making this study a significant contribution to the field.
However, the study's findings are preliminary and had several limitations, including only one blood pressure measurement being taken at age 7 and the participants primarily being Black or white. The researcher who conducted the study could not be identified from the provided search results.
In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of monitoring and managing childhood blood pressure as a means of reducing the risk of premature cardiovascular death. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore the impact of interventions aimed at lowering childhood blood pressure.
