Easily Stressed Male Teens, Young Adults Have Increased Risk of High Blood Pressure, Hypertension Later in Life

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A study led by researchers at Stanford University Department of Medicine found that males who were less resilient to stress were likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure later in adulthood. Additionally, those with higher body mass index (BMI) were thrice more likely than those who were normal weight. The study published in the journal Heart followed more than 1 million 18-year-old men who were in the Swedish Army between 1969 and 1997.

New military recruits underwent mandatory psychological testing. Their stress responses were assessed through a 20-30 minute interview with which they were scored from 1 to 9, with 9 being the highest in terms of resilience, Medical News Today reports.

The researchers followed the men for decades and found that more than 90,000 of the participants were diagnosed with high blood pressure when they were around 47 years old in 2012. This means that those with low resilience scores when they were 18 had 40 percent increased risk of developing hypertension in their late adulthood. In addition to higher BMI, type 2 diabetes also played a role in increasing the risk.

"These findings suggest that low stress resilience may contribute to etiological pathways for hypertension and accounts for more cases among those with high BMI," they wrote in the journal. "If confirmed, this knowledge may help inform better preventing interventions by addressing psychosocial risk factors and stress management across the lifespan."

According to Medical Daily, stress raises the blood pressure temporarily. Constant exposure to stress may cause adverse health effects and negatively impact the body including the liver, heart, lungs, muscles, libido and stomach. It can also damage the brain and mental health as well.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports high blood pressure affects 1 in 3 adults in the US. It is a condition that increases the risk of stroke and heart disease which are the two leading causes of deaths in Americans. It is often called a "silent killer" as people with the condition often don't show any warning signs or symptoms before a hypertensive episode.

While there are many risk factors that increase high blood pressure, preventing chronic stress could help. The American Heart Association recommends managing stress through humor, meditation, calming and relaxing techniques as well as practicing healthy living habits.