High blood pressure of any kind in young adults increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular issues, according to new findings that shed light on a problem experts say has been understudied.
Blood pressure readings have two measurements. Systolic is the top number and shows how much pressure the blood exerts against artery walls while the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure is the bottom number that gauges the pressure between beats. High blood pressure is defined as a systolic reading of 130 or higher or a diastolic reading of 80 or higher, based on guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association.
In young adults, researchers wanted to know which measurement is more important in foreseeing future cardiovascular disease risk: systolic, diastolic or both?
