Women - Avoid High Blood Pressure!

High blood pressure has serious consequences: stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage, and failed vision are the most important.  And although hypertension is more common in men, women are also at risk; indeed, 3 of every five cases of heart failure in women are due to high blood pressure. Last year, Boston researchers published a report of their study of the diet and lifestyle factors that probably cause 80% of cases of high blood pressure in women; it can be found in JAMA. 

Data came from the Nurses’ Health Study, in which 83,800 women aged 27 to 44, and who didn’t have hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or cancer, were enrolled in 1991.  They were followed for 14 years, during which time 15% developed hypertension (defined as systolic pressure over 120 mm Hg or diastolic pressure over 80 mm Hg).  Six likely factors were analyzed for their potential to cause hypertension in this population: weight, exercise, low-sodium diet, alcohol, analgesic use, and folic acid supplements.  Here are the results:

Body mass index (BMI):  40% of hypertension cases were attributable to overweight or obesity, and 50% could be related to a BMI above 23 kg/m².

Analgesic use:  17% of cases attributable to over-the-counter analgesic use more than once a week

Dietary salt:  14% for not following a DASH diet approach

Exercise:  14% for not doing 30 minutes’ vigorous exercise daily

Alcohol:  10% for too much or too little alcohol (i.e. more or less than one drink a day)

Folic acid:  4% for not getting 400 microgram daily in supplemental folic acid

Combining a normal BMI, daily vigorous exercise, and a DASH-like diet more than halved the risk of developing hypertension. The 0.3% members of the study population who followed all 6 healthy lifestyle factors were at 78% lower risk of developing hypertension.  So now you know.  Just do it!