Hypertension in Young Adults: An Emerging Health Concern

Aidana Yerkebayeva
Feb 1
4 min read

Often silent, hypertension in young adults is accumulating a lot of talk in hospitals and around clinicians. Without a sudden outburst, people are not recognising this problem at the height it should be considered at. Serious long-term risks like heart disease and stroke are one of the most prominent health issues that could arise following this disease. However, this occurs more commonly with older adults, and although hypertension can affect anybody, young adults are now rising to take the podium. With significant risks and health problems that could proceed, this is a topic worth acting upon.

What is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is defined as the force of blood against artery walls as the heart pumps. High blood pressure or hypertension is a constant high force being exerted against these arteries and it pushes the heart to work harder. It is generally diagnosed when a person’s blood pressure, measured on two or more separate occasions, is consistently equal to or greater than 130/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).

The diagnosis and establishment of blood pressure are different among certain health administrations. For example, The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association divide blood pressure into four general categories.

Normal blood pressure: BP lower than 120/80 mmHg.
Elevated blood pressure: BP ranges from the top number being 120 to 129 mmHg and the bottom number below 80 mmHg.
Stage 1 hypertension: BP ranges from the top number being 130 to 139 mmHg or the bottom number is between 80 and 89 mmHg.
Stage 2 hypertension: BP ranges from the top number being 140 mmHg or higher or the bottom number is 90 mHg or higher.

In a traditional view, this disease is considered a normal consequence of aging or it is thought to be restricted to older adults. It was even once named as “benign” or “essential” with the belief that high BP was a necessary mechanism to maintain organ function in older individuals with stiffened arteries.

Unfortunately, hypertension is becoming more prevalent in young adults. It is now a high risk disease among younger people. This is a significant and growing health concern. Because hypertension often develops earlier in life, young adults face a longer cumulative burden of high blood pressure, leading to earlier damage to blood vessels, kidneys, and the heart all of which can be life-threatening. This disease often goes undetected, especially in young adults who aren’t considered common victims. For this reason, patients are very likely to be dismissed without proper diagnosis and consequently will be building up silent, life-long risks.

What evidence exists to support this?

According to the American Journal of Hypertension, a study revealed that in 2021-2023, 21.3% (20.4 million) young adults aged 18-39 had stage 1 or 2 hypertension, of whom only 28.3% were aware of their condition. Yet awareness and control of hypertension have declined since 2013-2014 and remain low. These statistics are a cause for concern. As stated before, without proper care (early detection), the risk of developing severe diseases as a consequence is notably higher.

Furthermore, young adult men have worse awareness and treatment rates compared to women. This may be explained by their infrequent healthcare visits and lower insurance coverage.

Risk Factors:

There is one common trait seen in many hypertensive young adults, which is an increased BMI. It has been proved that higher BMI is directly associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Sedentary lifestyles, poor diet and stress can all contribute to the increase of a person’s BMI but they also act as separate risk factors for hypertension.

In these modern days, young adults tend to frequent these states more often due to laborious schedules and the straining transition from childhood to adulthood. Fortunately, many of these factors could be eliminated.

Management and Treatment:

Lifestyle changes:

Many are unaware but what is considered a very effective and non-invasive way of reducing risks is stress reduction and mindfulness practise. For example in the 2011 Hölzel et al. study, MBSR or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction programme demonstrated biological changes to the brain, increased grey matter was recorded in certain regions of the brain like the hippocampus, the posterior cingulate cortex and the temporoparietal junction. These individuals were recruited due to elevated stress levels, which decreased substantially after the course. This showed a relationship between biological changes and behavioral/emotional states, meaning simple meditations can hugely impact wellbeing.

Moreover, implementing healthy diets and regular workouts can pose many benefits to prevent this ongoing widespread disease.

What are the next steps?

While general guidelines exist, there is a need for age-specific approaches to address the unique drivers (lifestyle etc.) and the need for early intervention to prevent lifelong organ damage. As a result of young adults not perceiving themselves as high risk, this reduces compliance. Thus, recommendations should be set to prompt systematic screening and home blood pressure monitoring for these individuals. It should also be advertised of how healthy lifestyles are crucial to maintaining blood pressure levels at an optimum.

Conclusively, common misconceptions and traditional views are what's leading these improper diagnosis and inadequate prevention of this disease in young adults. Statistically shown, hypertension is now prevailing among young adults who were once thought to be safe against this disease. Much of this is concerning due to the complications that could arise following this underlying condition if not addressed properly. Therefore, choosing the right paths for prevention and intervention are crucial to reduce these numbers and return this group back to a healthier body.