With the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV (PLWH) now enjoy longer life expectancies than ever before. However, this increased lifespan has brought a new challenge: a significantly higher risk of early cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Research shows that HIV-positive individuals are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to develop heart disease at a younger age compared to HIV-negative individuals. This article explores the underlying causes, scientific findings, and most importantly, how to reduce that risk through prevention and lifestyle changes.

Why Does HIV Increase Heart Disease Risk?

Cardiovascular disease in HIV patients is multifactorial, meaning it’s influenced by a mix of biological, lifestyle, and treatment-related factors.

1. Chronic Inflammation & Immune Activation

Even with effective ART and undetectable viral load, HIV causes persistent low-grade inflammation in the body. This leads to:

• Damage to blood vessel linings (endothelium)
• Increased plaque formation
• Accelerated atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries)

2. Immune System Dysfunction

HIV affects CD4+ T-cells, weakening the immune system. This dysfunction can:

• Promote autoimmune reactions
• Make the body less effective at repairing vascular damage

3. Side Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)

Some older or specific ART drugs (especially protease inhibitors and abacavir) are associated with:

• Increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Insulin resistance
• Elevated risk of metabolic syndrome

4. Higher Prevalence of Traditional Risk Factors in PLWH

People living with HIV often have a higher rate of:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Co-infections like Hepatitis B/C, which can indirectly impact cardiovascular health

5. HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy

This condition, caused by some ART medications, leads to abnormal fat distribution and metabolic changes, further increasing the risk of heart disease.

What Does the Research Say?

Several key studies have demonstrated the link between HIV and heart disease:

• The REPRIEVE Trial (NIH, ongoing) is investigating whether statins can prevent heart disease in HIV patients.
• A study published in JAMA Cardiology (2020) found that HIV-positive individuals had a 50–100% higher risk of heart attack than the general population.
• A 2023 report in The Lancet HIV showed increased arterial stiffness and vascular inflammation in young adults with HIV — even those on effective ART.

In short, heart disease now rivals opportunistic infections as a leading cause of morbidity in aging HIV patients.

Early Warning Signs & Screening

HIV patients often experience “silent” heart disease, where symptoms may not be obvious until major events like a heart attack or stroke occur. Regular screening is essential.

Doctors typically monitor:

• Blood pressure
• LDL/HDL cholesterol
• Blood sugar and insulin levels
• C-reactive protein (CRP) — marker of inflammation
• Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) — ultrasound measure of artery wall thickening

Prevention Strategies: How to Lower the Risk

Fortunately, many of the risks can be controlled with the right interventions.

1. Stick to Effective ART

• Modern ART regimens are safer and more heart-friendly than earlier generations.
• Staying virally suppressed reduces inflammation and immune activation.
• If you’re on older ART (e.g., abacavir, lopinavir), talk to your doctor about switching.

2. Adopt Heart-Healthy Habits

3. Control Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

• Use statins if needed — they not only lower cholesterol but also have anti-inflammatory benefits in HIV.
• REPRIEVE trial is evaluating long-term statin use in HIV for prevention even in low-risk patients.

4. Manage Diabetes and Insulin Resistance

• Monitor A1C and fasting glucose regularly.
• Adopt a low-glycemic index diet and stay active.

5. Address Mental Health & Stress

• Chronic stress and depression (common in HIV) can raise cortisol and BP.
• Practice mindfulness, therapy, and sleep hygiene.

Summary Table: HIV and Heart Disease

Final Thoughts

People living with HIV now live longer — but with longevity comes greater vulnerability to chronic illnesses like heart disease. The good news is that with early screening, modern ART, and healthy lifestyle choices, heart disease in HIV-positive individuals is largely preventable.

HIV-positive people are living longer than ever because of therapies that prevent the growth of the virus. But these patients deal with more heart troubles and barriers to treatment than other individuals, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

A scientific statement published in June 2019 in the journal Circulation highlighted that three-quarters of people over the age of 45 who are living with HIV are experiencing significantly more heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes earlier in life compared with those who don’t have HIV.

“Chronic inflammation and immune activation [or response] appear to be the primary drivers of high heart disease risk in HIV,” says Matthew Feinstein, MD, chair of the writing group for the statement and assistant professor of medicine and preventive medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.

He stresses that HIV treatment is essential, not only for controlling the virus, but also for reducing chronic inflammation and problems with immune regulation.

“Several studies have now shown that worse HIV control is associated with higher risks for heart disease,” Dr. Feinstein told Everyday Health. “So the first and most important step in preventing heart disease in HIV is getting the HIV under control with the right medications prescribed by HIV specialists and primary care doctors.”

Addressing Common Heart Disease Factors

The statement authors also observed that people living with HIV more often had factors commonly associated with heart troubles, such as heavy alcohol use, substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorders, low levels of physical activity, and poor cardiorespiratory fitness.

About 4 out of 10 are smokers, according to a nationally representative sample of HIV patients.

Quitting tobacco use, eating a balanced diet (such as the DASH diet or Mediterranean diet), and staying physically active can help lower risk, notes Feinstein.

Sarah Samaan, MD, a cardiologist with Baylor Scott & White Legacy Heart Center in Plano, Texas, who was not an author on the statement, has seen many HIV patients benefit from statin drugs to lower cholesterol and medication to lower blood pressure.

“Since some HIV medications can raise the risk of side effects from other drugs, it’s important to discuss the options for treatment with a knowledgeable physician,” say Dr. Samaan. “A good pharmacist can also help to ensure that the drugs that are prescribed are safe and appropriate.”

Living Longer But With More Health Problems

In an accompanying patient perspective published by the American Heart Association, Jules Levin, the founder and executive director of the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project (NATAP), expressed his concerns about the high numbers of serious medical problems in older people with HIV compared with the general population.

According to NATAP, those with HIV over 60 years old have an average of three to seven health conditions in addition to being HIV-positive. Comorbidities include heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney disease, frailty, and bone diseases. Also, many take 12 to 15 drugs daily.

“Most people don’t know that HIV is causing accelerated aging,” says Levin, who has been living with HIV for 35 years. “Within a few years of initial infection, the immune system senescence [deterioration with age] sets in right away. Once people with HIV get into their sixties, they really have a double hit — from aging and from the effects of HIV.”

This is why Levin urges HIV-positive individuals to be screened for cardiovascular troubles as well as bone density, kidney disease, and cognitive impairment.

The scientific statement recommends trying the American Heart Association–American College of Cardiology Atherosclerotic Disease Risk Calculator as one way for getting some idea of your heart disease risk.

Overcoming Barriers to Treatment

Both Feinstein and Levin spotlight the need for improving access to healthcare for people living with HIV. The statement authors pointed out that this population is often stigmatized, and federal and local authorities could make more effort to increase care options for these individuals. Many living with HIV are homebound and cognitively impaired to a degree where they have difficulties paying bills and making decisions.

“What’s most needed are support services and better care in the clinics,” says Levin. “We need to actively demand that federal and local officials address this problem.”

He urges people to contact NATAP to explore ways to take action.

A Call for Further Research

Feinstein and his coauthors based this scientific statement on large observational studies investigating HIV and heart disease.

“But we don’t yet have much in the way of large-scale randomized trial data for heart disease prevention and treatment in HIV,” he says. “Although we have a reasonable understanding of why plaque buildup in the arteries occurs in HIV, we do not have as clear of an understanding of why the heart muscle often becomes dysfunctional or why blood clotting may occur more commonly in HIV.”

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Type 2 diabetes is one of the seven major risk factors for heart disease that you can control. Patti Cook, RN, BSN, diabetes education coordinator, joins us to explain that you can take control, as November 4-10 is National Diabetes Education Week.

1). If you are a diabetic, what can you do to arm yourself against the risk of heart disease?

People with type 2 diabetes have double the risk of heart disease. If you have diabetes, you are more likely to have other conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and unmanaged blood glucose (called blood sugar). These also increase the risk for heart disease, but managing these can help decrease your risk. Arm yourself with the facts.

· Understand the risk for heart disease.

Talk to your doctor regularly about whole body health and your next steps.

· Trade unhealthy for healthy behaviors. Eat right and keep moving.

2). What is the connection between Type 2 diabetes and heart disease? Why does diabetes more than likely lead to heart disease?

Adults with diabetes are two times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than people without diabetes. The combination of high blood pressure and diabetes drastically increases your risks of a heart disease. Managing your blood pressure is one way to lower your risk of heart disease. That is why it is vital to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. High blood pressure is anything above 120/80 mmHg.

3. What are some questions that we should be asking our health care provider about diabetes and heart disease?

The following are questions are important; however, there are certainly other questions to consider asking your doctor:

· What can I do to lower my risk for heart disease and stroke?

· Do any of my medications help me manage my risks for heart disease or other complications?

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TOCHIGI, Japan — People who have high blood pressure while asleep are more likely to suffer cardiovascular disease, especially heart failure, in the future, a new study reveals. In fact, researchers at Jichi Medical University in Japan warn that even when a patient’s daytime blood pressure is within normal ranges, they are still more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke.

Medical practitioners typically use in-office and daytime blood pressure measurements to determine a patient’s hypertension medication needs and dosages. But many patients may have undetected high blood pressure while sleeping, also known as nocturnal hypertension, scientists say.

“Nighttime blood pressure is increasingly being recognized as a predictor of cardiovascular risk,” says lead author Professor Kazuomi Kario, a professor of cardiovascular medicine, in a statement to the American Heart Association. “This study provides much more in-depth information about the cardiovascular risk associated with high nighttime blood pressure and different nighttime blood pressure phenotypes than have been reported previously.”

Patients’ blood pressure monitored during the day and while sleeping

For the study, data was collected from 6,359 adults from across Japan between 2009 and 2017. Nearly half of the study participants were male, and more than half were at least 65 years old. The patients all had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, and three-quarters of them were taking blood pressure medications. None had symptomatic cardiovascular disease when the study began.

Researchers measured daytime and nighttime blood pressure levels using an at-home, wearable monitor. Measurements were taken for at least 24 hours at a time, and device data were periodically downloaded at a health care clinic. Participants were instructed to self-report their daily activities along with sleep and wake times in a diary. A

Almost every participant recorded 20 daytime and seven night-time automated blood pressure measurements. Follow-ups occurred annually via phone or clinic visit, with total follow up ranging from two to seven years.

Researchers analyzed the rates of cardiovascular disease events, including heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death, among the participants. The occurrence and timing of heart events in relation to blood pressure variations was analyzed to determine whether there were any associations.

In all, participants experienced a total of 306 cardiovascular events, including 119 strokes, 99 diagnoses of coronary artery disease, and 88 diagnoses of heart failure.

‘Significant, independent risk factor for cardiovascular events’

Authors say that an abnormal reading, or a systolic blood pressure measuring 20 mm Hg above a person’s daytime systolic reading, is significantly linked to the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure. Similarly, participants with an abnormal circadian pattern, which occurs when sleep blood pressure exceeds daytime readings, were at particular risk of developing heart failure and had a greater risk of experiencing any heart disease event.

Excessive reduction of blood pressure during sleep may also be detrimental. Patients with well-controlled hypertension showed a significantly increased risk of stroke when nighttime systolic pressure took extreme dips.

“Results indicate that nighttime systolic blood pressure was a significant, independent risk factor for cardiovascular events,” says Kario. “The study highlights the importance of including nighttime blood pressure monitoring in patient management strategies and will hopefully encourage physicians to ensure that antihypertensive therapy is effectively lowering blood pressure throughout the 24-hour dosing period.”

But the authors note that their study is not without limitations.

Ambulatory data were obtained once at the start of the study. However, no information was available regarding the contributions of subsequent changes in ambulatory blood pressure levels up until the time of diagnosis of a cardiac event. The study also focused on systolic, rather than diastolic, measurements due to the older age of the participants.

The authors say study evaluations did not include echocardiograms, thus preventing some degree of differentiation for types of heart failure.

The new research is published in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation.

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New York, Oct 27 (IANS): Heart problems? A special diet might help as researchers have found that the popular and controversial ketogenic diet could completely prevent, or even reverse heart failure caused by a metabolic process.

For the findings, published in the journal Nature Metabolism, the research team looked at a metabolic process that seems to be turned down in failing human hearts.

“In an animal model, drastic heart failure in mice was bypassed by switching to high fat or “ketogenic” diets, which could completely prevent, or even reverse the heart failure,” said study author Kyle S McCommis from the Saint Louis University in the US.

“Thus, these studies suggest that consumption of higher fat and lower carbohydrate diets may be a nutritional therapeutic intervention to treat heart failure,” McCommis added.

According to the researchers, the heart’s myocardium requires vast amounts of chemical energy stored in nutrients to fuel cardiac contraction.

To maintain this high metabolic capacity, the heart is flexible and can adapt to altered metabolic fuel supplies during diverse developmental, nutritional, or physiologic conditions.

Impaired flexibility, however, is associated with cardiac dysfunction in conditions including diabetes and heart failure.

The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) complex, composed of MPC1 and MPC2, is required for pyruvate import into the mitochondria.

This study demonstrated that MPC expression is decreased in failing human and mouse hearts, and that genetic deletion of the MPC in mice leads to cardiac remodelling and dysfunction.

“Interestingly, this heart failure can be prevented or even reversed by providing a high-fat, low carbohydrate ketogenic diet,” McCommis said.

“A 24-hour fast in mice, which is also ketogenic also provided significant improvement in heart remodelling,” McCommis added.

The findings showed that diets with higher fat content, but enough carbohydrates to limit ketosis also significantly improved heart failure in mice lacking cardiac MPC expression.

“Our study highlights the potential of dietary interventions to enhance cardiac fat metabolism to prevent or reverse cardiac dysfunction and remodelling in the setting of MPC-deficiency,” the authors wrote.

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Previously published research suggests that the age at which the menopause starts is linked to a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly if this is before the age of 45. But no study has looked at the potential impact of the timing of typical risk factors for cardiovascular disease arising after the menopause, such as weight gain and disordered blood fats.

To explore this further, the researchers studied data gathered repeatedly from women between the ages of 36, 53, and 69, all of whom were part of the UK Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development.

The researchers have found that age at which a woman’s periods stop, and the menopause starts, doesn’t seem to be linked to the development of the risk factors typically associated with cardiovascular disease. But the loss of oestrogen production does compromise heart health, so women should routinely be given hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to stave this off. The research has been published online in the journal Heart.

They looked specifically at increases in blood pressure, unhealthy blood fats, weight (BMI), fasting blood glucose, and waist circumference–an indicator of a potentially harmful midriff bulge–over time–in around 1000 women.

They found no evidence that the age at which the menopause began was associated with a rise in unhealthy blood fats between the ages of 53 and 69, or with rises in blood pressure between the ages of 36 and 69.

These findings held true, irrespective of whether the menopause had occurred naturally or had been surgically induced by a hysterectomy.

There was some link between the age at which periods stopped and increases in weight, waist circumference, and fasting blood glucose. But these changes weren’t consistent and the differences were negligible by the age of 69.

This is an observational study, and as such, can’t establish the cause. But the findings suggest that conventional risk factors for cardiovascular disease aren’t to blame for the associations found between loss of oestrogen production and heightened risk of heart disease/stroke, say the researchers.

Although larger studies are needed, “The findings also have important implications for women and clinicians, as they suggest that any impact of age and type of period cessation on conventional [cardiovascular disease] intermediates over the long term is likely to be small,” they conclude.

In a linked editorial, Dr Carl Lavie, of John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, and Dr Felice Gersh of the Division of Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, argues that the loss of oestrogen production is still harmful to women’s heart health and that these harms should be prevented with HRT.

It’s time to dispel the unintended scary legacy of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study, which tested the ‘wrong’ hormones on women who were too old, they contend.

“There is…no doubt that with the arrival of menopause, the progression of the insidious diseases of ageing, and of [cardiovascular] dysfunction, accelerate,” they write. “Estradiol, the principle oestrogen produced by the ovaries, supports all aspects of the [cardiovascular system,” they add.

Yet, despite the wealth of evidence on the myriad ways in which oestrogen protects women’s heart health, “it remains entrenched in the medical management of menopausal women that HRT, if prescribed at all, should remain a short term solution, using the lowest dose possible to minimise night sweats, and only be considered for system use to address night sweats and hot flashes, rather than to maintain optimal [cardiovascular] function,” they point out.

“Numerous conditions linked to both ageing and oestrogen deficiency, such as joint damage from osteoarthritis, vision loss due to cataracts, tooth loss due to periodontal disease and fractures from osteoporosis, are readily treated by the medical community, so why should the recognised harms of menopause to the [cardiovascular] system not be proactively treated with HRT,” they ask?

“The time has arrived to shelve the WHI and its limited applicability to the lives of menopausal women…They deserve to be offered HRT, using hormones identical to those produced by human ovaries, and the hormones should be prescribed in the most physiological manner possible,” they write.

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Many of us often feel bombarded with ever-changing and confusing nutrition advice. If that well-intended guidance leaves your head spinning, rest assured that recommendations for a heart-healthy diet have stayed relatively consistent over the years.

1. Foods High in Sodium

2. Foods High in Added Sugar

The post Top 5 Worst Foods for Your Heart, According to a Dietitian appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Cold and flu symptoms can be brutal, and pharmacies are full of over-the-counter remedies.

But, according to research, some of those quick fixes could spell trouble for your heart.

“People with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid taking oral decongestants,” said Sondra DePalma, a physician assistant at the PinnacleHealth CardioVascular Institute at UPMC Pinnacle in Pennsylvania. “And for the general population or someone with low cardiovascular risk, they should use them with the guidance of a health care provider.”

DePalma co-authored guidelines released in 2017 by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology focusing on the management of high blood pressure in adults. Both decongestants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), found in many cold medicines, were listed as medications that could increase blood pressure.

Decongestants – like pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine – constrict blood vessels. They allow less fluid into your sinuses, said Dr. Raymond R. Townsend, director of the hypertension program at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania.

“The highest risks are in people with diabetes, kidney disease, or a prior heart attack, stroke or heart failure,” Townsend said. “They are the most vulnerable to a consequence from blood pressure increases.”

But research on NSAIDs suggests seemingly healthy people might also be at risk.

A 2017 study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases looked at nearly 10,000 people with respiratory infections who were hospitalized for heart attacks. Participants were 72 years old on average at the time of their heart attacks. Many had cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Researchers found that people who used NSAIDs while sick were more than three times as likely to have a heart attack within a week compared with the same time period about a year earlier when participants were neither sick nor taking an NSAID.

This may be due to the compound effect.

Merely having a cold or the flu strains the cardiovascular system. Fighting the illness raises the heart rate and causes inflammation. Meanwhile, NSAIDs – which carry a warning label about the increased risk for a heart attack or stroke – can cause problems by reducing the amount of sodium expelled through the urine, which increases fluid retention and raises blood pressure, DePalma said.

People with high normal blood pressures who may feel safe – or people with hypertension on medications like beta blockers – are also at risk, Townsend said. Those who are sick should use both classes of medications – decongestants and NSAIDs – carefully and understand the potential side effects.

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High blood pressure or hypertension can affect your health negatively in various ways. Many factors can contribute to high blood pressure like lack of physical activity, obesity, stress and more. Most people ignore high blood pressure and do not make any necessary changes. But do you know uncontrolled blood pressure can out your heart health at risk? There is a link between uncontrolled blood pressure and heart health. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of heart diseases. It puts an individual at a huger risk of heart diseases. The factors which contribute to high blood pressure also affect heart health. Here’s the link between high blood pressure and heart health explained by Dr. Sanjay Bhat, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology.

High Blood Pressure is considered a silent killer. It sneaks up on you, carries no symptoms and can put you at risk for heart disease. The reality is that hypertension is a condition that makes the heart work harder than normal. The excess strain and resulting damage from high blood pressure or hypertension causes the coronary arteries serving the heart to slowly become narrowed from a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances that together are called plaque. This slow process is known as atherosclerosis. As arteries harden with plaque, blood clots become more likely to form. When an artery becomes blocked due to an accumulation of plaque or a blood clot, the flow of blood through the heart muscle is interrupted, starving the muscle of oxygen and nutrients. The damage or death of part of the heart muscle that occurs, as a result, is called a heart attack (myocardial infarction).

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Oftentimes, a high systolic blood pressure (the top number) can indicate poor heart health, but does the same hold true when your blood pressure spikes due to exercise?

To answer this question, researchers at Stanford looked at stress test results taken both at rest and at peak exercise of 7,500 men collected over the course of 20 years and compared them to their mortality rates.

The study, which was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, found that high systolic blood pressure during exercise may not necessarily indicate that a person is at risk for heart disease—as long as workload, or intensity, is taken into account.

Current guidelines from the American Heart Association define an exaggerated systolic blood pressure (SBP) response to exercise as a peak SBP of 210 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in males and 190 mmHg in females. These high blood pressure (BP) levels are often interpreted to show increased risk of heart disease.

However, in this study, researchers found that higher the peak systolic blood pressure during treadmill testing, better the health prognosis of the individual. Meaning, that people reaching a higher SBP value lived longer than those with low SBP at peak exercise.

Why? Physiologically, systolic blood pressure rises with rising workload (like during a treadmill or bicycle stress test), Kristofer Hedman, Ph.D., physician at Linkoping University in Sweden told Runner’s World. People who are fitter—which is related to higher survival rates—are usually able to reach higher workloads, spiking their BP higher.

Especially in well-trained athletes, achieving high workloads also means a high blood pressure reading at peak exercise, well above current thresholds. In well-trained athletes, performing close to 20 METs (running at 13 mph, or a 4.6-minute mile), it is not uncommon to see SBP values around 250 mmHg, but for an unfit individual, that would be a high SBP reading, as they might reach only 6 to 7 METs (a slow jog), explained Hedman.

Unless the reading is extremely high—a value over 260–270 mmHg would probably never be considered “normal”—it is likely not indicative of anything else than a high fitness level, as long as the test is normal in all other aspects, Hedman said. These would include the heart rate response, the electrocardiogram (ECG), and/or symptoms such as chest pain, excessive dyspnea (labored breathing), and nausea.

“So, if you have a great fitness, you will achieve a high workload, thus probably a higher systolic BP, and have a better prognosis,” said Hedman.

On the flip side, though, higher SBP alone doesn’t mean better fitness. Rather, in healthy people, rising SBP will follow rising METs.

This shows that it’s important for physicians to take workload into account, rather than just looking at the blood pressure reading when interpreting results of things like stress tests. Higher systolic blood pressure in a person at a high workload—say, sprinting—is not as troubling as a high SP in a person reaching a low workload, like at an easy jog.

“An important contribution of our work is that we show that accounting for workload is probably more appropriate and should be considered in all cases,” Hedman said. “This is largely neglected today.”

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High blood pressure aka hypertension is one of the most researched topics online as it is one of the prevalent health disorders across the world. For the unversed, high blood pressure is when the pressure of blood against the arteries are higher than normal. The same can lead to damaged blood vessels over a period of time and if left unchecked and untreated then it can also lead to life-threatening diseases such ash stroke, heart, kidney, eyes and brain issues. It is insidious health disorder as the symptoms can be missed easily. One of the common triggers which can spike your BP levels is stress.

There are no studies which prove that stress leads to long term high BP, however, it can lead to jump in BP levels temporarily and also reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can increase the risk of high blood pressure. Many of us cope with stress and tension with smoking, heavily drinking and by having unhealthy food items and these reactions to stress are directly linked to high BP. For the uninitiated, the body produces hormones during stressful situations and the same causes our heart to beat faster and narrows down our blood vessels. And the hormones which are released can damage arteries as well.

So it is ideal to reduce stress levels to prevent and lower BP levels. One should master stress management techniques as it is difficult to eliminate stress from life but at least one can cope with it for healthier you. Some of the ways are as follows.

1. Simplify schedule and bring change in expectations

One can make daily to-do lists and plan it out to avoid stressful situations. It is very vital to work on priorities and focus on them as one cannot achieve everything. So, avoid trying too much and learn to say no.

Also, one should understand that you cannot change or control many things but you can focus on how you react to it. So, work on issues which you control and try and solve the issues. Instead of a complaining focus on finding solutions.

2. Avoid stress triggers

It is important to know what is stressing you and work on the same. For example, If the rush-hour traffic on the way to work is the cause stress then try leaving earlier in the morning. 

3. Relax

Make sure that you get your personal me time to relax and unwind. Everyday try and sit quietly and breathe deeply. Also, try and remove some time for your hobbies.

4. Practice gratitude

Make sure you to do positive self-talk and write about the things you are thankful for.

5. Meditation and Yoga

These two techniques help to relax our body and mind and as per reports, the same help High BP patients to reduce systolic blood pressure by 5 mm hg.

6. Exercise

If you are BP patient then exercising will be recommended to you. Not only it is a vasodilator but also helps to improve mood and reduce stress.

7. Sleep

A night of good sleep is very vital for high BP as well as for overall health. Less sleep makes things worst as it makes issues appear bigger than they are.

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(Reuters Health) – People with high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol before age 40 are more likely to have a heart attack later in life than other adults, a new analysis suggests.

The analysis pooled data from six studies involving a total of 36,030 people. Starting when participants were 53 years old on average, researchers tracked them to see who had heart attacks, strokes, or heart failure.

By the time half of the people had been tracked for at least 17 years, participants who had high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol before age 40 – that is, higher than about 129 milligrams per deciliter of blood – were 64% more likely to have had events like heart attacks compared to people with low LDL levels in early adulthood.

The upper limit of normal blood pressure is 120/80. Younger adults who had high systolic blood pressure – the “top number” – were 37% more likely to develop heart failure later in life. And young adults who had elevated diastolic blood pressure – the “bottom number” – were 21% more likely to develop heart failure later on.

“Many young adults feel OK, or they’re willing to think–I’m OK now, I will make healthful choices later when I’m older,” said Dr. Andrew Moran, senior author of the study and a researcher at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

“This study shows that healthy choices matter even in young adults,” Moran said by email. “This means not smoking, eating a healthful diet, and exercising regularly.”

And for some high risk young adults, starting medication to manage risk factors at a younger age – something that currently isn’t done as a matter of course – may be worthwhile, Moran added.

Very few people in the study had high blood pressure or high cholesterol during young adulthood, researchers report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

During follow-up, 4,570 participants had events like heart attacks, 5,119 had heart failure events, and 2,862 had strokes.

The study can’t explain whether or how high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol in early adulthood might directly cause heart attacks, strokes or heart failure later in life.

One limitation of the analysis is that because the smaller studies used in the analysis didn’t have blood pressure and cholesterol measurements across the lifespan, in some cases researchers had to estimate how many younger adults had these risk factors based on the data they had for participants at older ages.

“Heart failure and heart attacks are the result of years of exposure to risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol,” said Dr. Samuel Gidding, coauthor of an editorial accompanying the study and medical director of the FH (Familial Hypercholesterolemia) Foundation in Pasadena, California.

“Both cause the buildup of fat in the coronary arteries beginning in childhood; this leads to heart attack later in life,” Gidding said by email. “High blood pressure puts extra strain on the heart and adapting to that stress leads to heart failure.”

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High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a common condition that can silently damage your body over time. One of the most serious complications is the thickening of the heart wall, especially the left side, known medically as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Understanding this risk, and how to prevent it, is crucial for anyone living with or at risk for high blood pressure.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. A reading of 120/80 mmHg is considered normal. High blood pressure is usually defined as a reading consistently above 130/80 mmHg.

• Primary (essential) hypertension: No specific cause; related to genetics, lifestyle.
• Secondary hypertension: Caused by another condition (e.g., kidney disease, hormonal disorders).

Hypertension often has no symptoms, which is why it’s called the “silent killer.”

How Does High Blood Pressure Thicken the Heart Wall?

Your heart is a muscle that pumps blood. When blood pressure is high, your heart has to work harder to pump blood to your body. Over time, just like lifting heavy weights makes arm muscles bigger, this extra work causes the wall of the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) to thicken. This is called left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).

Why Is a Thickened Heart Wall Bad?

• Reduced pumping efficiency: The thickened muscle can become stiff and less able to fill with blood.
• Oxygen demand: A bigger heart muscle needs more oxygen, increasing the risk of angina (chest pain) and heart attacks.
• Electrical problems: Thickened muscle can disrupt the heart’s electrical system, causing arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats).
• Increased risk: People with LVH have a higher risk of heart failure, stroke, and sudden cardiac death.

Symptoms to Watch For

Many people have no symptoms at all, even with a thickened heart wall. If symptoms do develop, they may include:

• Shortness of breath, especially with activity
• Chest pain or pressure
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat (palpitations)
• Dizziness or fainting
• Fatigue, weakness

Note: These symptoms may signal advanced disease. Most people do not feel anything until the condition is serious.

How Is Heart Wall Thickening Diagnosed?

• Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG): May show changes suggesting LVH.
• Echocardiogram (Heart Ultrasound): The best test. It measures the thickness of the heart walls and how well the heart pumps.
• MRI: Rarely used, but can give very detailed images.
• Routine check-ups: People with high blood pressure should have regular check-ups to monitor for complications.

Who Is Most at Risk?

• People with uncontrolled or long-standing high blood pressure
• Older adults (risk increases with age)
• People with kidney disease
• Those with a family history of heart disease
• People who smoke, are obese, eat a high-salt diet, or are physically inactive

How Can You Prevent Heart Wall Thickening?

The best prevention is to control your blood pressure! Here’s how:

1. Lifestyle Changes

• Eat a healthy, low-salt diet (such as the DASH or Mediterranean diet)
• Exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes most days)
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Limit alcohol and avoid smoking
• Manage stress (meditation, relaxation, hobbies)

2. Take Your Medications

If prescribed, take blood pressure medicines exactly as directed. Common medications include:

• ACE inhibitors
• ARBs
• Beta-blockers
• Calcium channel blockers
• Diuretics

Do not stop your medicine without talking to your doctor!

3. Regular Check-ups

• Monitor your blood pressure at home, if recommended
• Get regular doctor visits and heart check-ups
• Report any new symptoms immediately

What Should I Do If I Have High Blood Pressure?

1. Check your blood pressure regularly.
2. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and keep all appointments.
3. Adopt heart-healthy habits (diet, exercise, avoid smoking/alcohol).
4. Know the warning signs of heart trouble (see symptoms above).
5. Talk to your doctor about getting an echocardiogram if you have long-standing or hard-to-control hypertension.

Summary Checklist

• Check your blood pressure regularly
• Take your medicines as prescribed
• Eat a low-salt, balanced diet
• Stay physically active
• Get regular heart check-ups
• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol
• Watch for symptoms, but remember LVH is often silent

When to Call Your Doctor

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Severe shortness of breath
• Fainting or severe dizziness
• Palpitations or irregular heartbeat

These could be signs of serious heart complications.

Final Words

High blood pressure can silently thicken your heart wall and raise your risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. But with good management, regular check-ups, and heart-healthy habits, you can dramatically lower your risk and protect your heart for years to come.

Take charge of your blood pressure — your heart will thank you!

The post High Blood Pressure and Heart Wall Thickening: A Complete Patient Guide appeared first on MyMedicPlus.