The study highlights the importance of long-term treatment of hypertension. It was conducted by scientists from Wake Forest University.
Back in 2015, the results of a very remarkable study of systolic blood pressure were published. They have shown that intensive blood pressure management reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. In 2019, it was proved that lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of mild cognitive impairment in the elderly, that is, it gives them protection from senile dementia. And now a new study has demonstrated that although intensive blood pressure monitoring is beneficial, the benefits in terms of mortality from cardiovascular diseases disappeared after about two years when this control was discontinued.
In other words, if you have high blood pressure, then you must control it for the rest of your life. This is not a diet that you can start and finish, then move on to a normal lifestyle. The study confirmed that people over the age of 50 with elevated systolic blood pressure should definitely strive to ensure that this indicator is below 120 mm Hg. In this case, the risk of heart attack, heart failure and stroke is reduced by 25%.
When this is achieved, the risk of death decreases by 27%, compared with the group where the target systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg. The study, which began in the fall of 2009, involved more than 9,300 people aged 50 and older.
