A study presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 in Boston reveals that higher blood pressure during young adulthood is linked to a greater risk of heart disease and kidney disease later in life. The research, based on health records from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, included 291,887 adults who were followed from age 30 to 40 and then for about 10 years after age 40.
Individuals with elevated or high blood pressure (systolic ≥120 mm Hg or diastolic ≥80 mm Hg) that persisted for up to 10 years during young adulthood showed a higher likelihood of developing heart disease, stroke, or kidney disease in midlife. Specifically, having a systolic blood pressure about 10 mm Hg higher than peers for a decade was associated with a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease. Similarly, a diastolic blood pressure about 5 mm Hg higher over the same period was linked to a 20% higher risk of heart disease and a 16% higher risk of kidney disease.
“Young adults often have a very low predicted 10-year risk of heart disease, even when they have elevated or high blood pressure,” said Hokyou Lee, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, associate professor of preventive medicine at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. “Our study’s findings show that blood pressure levels in early adulthood are important even if short-term risk appears low. Long-term exposure to higher blood pressure from early life may accumulate damage over time, increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease in midlife.”
The analysis also compared cumulative blood pressure levels. Participants in the highest 20% of cumulative systolic blood pressure were about 3.5 times more likely to develop heart conditions and 3 times more likely to develop kidney disease compared to those in the lowest 20%. Results were similar for men and women. The study accounted for factors such as sex, income, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, which is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death. The 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline from the American Heart Association recommends treatment for stage 1 hypertension even in adults with low predicted 10-year risk after lifestyle modification.
Daniel W. Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P., FAHA, an American Heart Association volunteer expert and chair of the guideline writing committee, commented, “This study from Korea emphasizes the risk from high blood pressure begins at an early age and early in the course. The opportunity in this study to evaluate cumulative blood pressure over several years was important in understanding that risk. The study should encourage the design of randomized clinical trials to document that early treatment of high blood pressure in young adults is effective at reducing risk for cardiovascular and kidney disease.”
Lee emphasized that “maintaining optimal blood pressure is a concern for every individual, at every age. Early prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, if needed, are investments in future heart and kidney health.” The findings reinforce the importance of healthy blood pressure levels throughout life, as the damage from prolonged exposure can accumulate and manifest in midlife.
This research abstract has not yet been peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published in a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
