Higher blood pressure during young adulthood is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing 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 analyzed medical records from nearly 300,000 adults in South Korea and found that individuals with elevated blood pressure levels during their 30s and 40s faced substantially higher risks of cardiovascular and renal conditions after age 40.
The research, which examined data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, revealed that adults who maintained systolic blood pressure readings approximately 10 mm Hg higher than their peers for about ten years during young adulthood had a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease. Similarly, those with diastolic blood pressure about 5 mm Hg higher than their peers for the same duration faced a 20% increased 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, 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 analysis included 291,887 adults who were 30 years old in 2002-2004 and received routine health screenings between ages 30 and 40. Participants had no prior history of heart or kidney disease before age 40, and 76.3% were men. Researchers calculated each participant's cumulative blood pressure levels from age 30 to 40, accounting for both how high it was and how long it remained elevated. Participants were then followed for approximately ten years after age 40, during which development of heart or kidney disease was identified through national health service records.
The findings showed dramatic differences between those with the highest and lowest cumulative blood pressure levels. People in the highest 20% of cumulative systolic blood pressure levels were about 3.5 times more likely to develop heart conditions than those in the lowest 20%. The risk of kidney disease was approximately three times higher among individuals with the highest cumulative systolic blood pressure. These results were consistent for both men and women.
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. It represents the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death in the United States and worldwide, and it's the most common and most modifiable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The Association's 2025 High Blood Pressure Guidelines recommend treatment of stage 1 hypertension after 3-6 months of lifestyle modification in adults with low predicted 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease.
"This study from Korea emphasizes the risk from high blood pressure begins at an early age and early in the course," said 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. "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."
Researchers accounted for major health and lifestyle factors including sex, income, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and key health measures such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels. An important aspect of the study is that participants received care through South Korea's universal health care system, which provides standardized pricing for all health care, screening, treatments, and medications to all citizens.
"Maintaining optimal blood pressure is a concern for every individual, at every age," Lee emphasized. "Early prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, if needed, are investments in future heart and kidney health. Timely treatment of elevated blood pressure is essential to reduce the effects of years of exposure, which underscores the importance of monitoring and managing blood pressure as soon as a patient has elevated blood pressure levels." The study findings reinforce that maintaining healthy blood pressure is critical at every life stage to prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease, major cardiac events, or stroke.
