Higher blood pressure during young adulthood may significantly increase the risk of heart disease and kidney disease later in life, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. The study, which analyzed health data from nearly 300,000 adults in South Korea, found that individuals with elevated blood pressure levels sustained over a decade in their 30s and early 40s faced substantially higher risks of cardiovascular and kidney complications after age 40.
“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, an 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 researchers reviewed medical records from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, focusing on 291,887 adults who were 30 years old in 2002-2004 and had routine health screenings through age 40. Participants had no prior history of heart or kidney disease before age 40. The study calculated cumulative blood pressure exposure from ages 30 to 40, accounting for both the level and duration of elevated readings. After age 40, participants were followed for about 10 years to track the development of heart or kidney disease.
Key findings included that having a systolic blood pressure about 10 mm Hg higher than peers for approximately 10 years was linked to 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 associated with a 20% higher risk of heart disease and 16% higher risk of kidney disease. Compared with those in the lowest 20% of cumulative blood pressure levels, participants in the highest 20% were about 3.5 times more likely to develop heart conditions and about 3 times more likely to develop kidney disease. Results were similar for men and women.
“Maintaining optimal blood pressure is a concern for every individual, at every age,” Lee said. “Early prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, if needed, are investments in future heart and kidney health.” The American Heart Association’s 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline recommends treatment of stage 1 hypertension after 3-6 months of lifestyle modification in adults with low predicted 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease.
Daniel W. Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P., FAHA, an American Heart Association volunteer expert and chair of the writing committee for the Association’s Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults, 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.” Jones was not involved in the study.
According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, nearly half of U.S. adults are living with high blood pressure, which is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death globally. The study underscores that maintaining healthy blood pressure from a young age is critical to preventing future heart and kidney disease.
