Blood Pressure Trends Across the Lifespan: Influences of Gender, Race, Genetics, and Environment

Blood pressure trends with age exhibit significant variability influenced by factors such as gender, race, genetic background, and environmental influences. In most westernized cultures, blood pressure generally rises with age, although this increase is nuanced and depends on several factors.

At birth, systolic and diastolic blood pressures are approximately 70 mmHg and 50 mmHg, respectively. By the end of the first year, these values typically increase to around 94 mmHg for systolic and 52 mmHg for diastolic pressure. During the next two to three years, blood pressure remains relatively stable but begins to rise steadily throughout childhood and adolescence. Notably, systolic blood pressure increases more rapidly than diastolic pressure (by about 1-2 mmHg), leading to a gradual increase in pulse pressure during these formative years.

Gender differences in blood pressure emerge during the teenage years. Until adolescence, blood pressure trends are similar in both sexes. However, during the teenage years, boys’ blood pressure begins to rise more quickly than girls’. By the age of 18, boys typically exhibit systolic blood pressures about 10 mmHg higher and diastolic pressures approximately 5 mmHg higher than their female peers.

In adulthood, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures continue to rise steadily. Systolic pressure tends to increase more rapidly, contributing to a widening pulse pressure. The age-related rise in blood pressure is somewhat steeper for women, and by the seventh decade, the blood pressures of men and women are approximately equal. Beyond this age, women tend to have slightly higher blood pressures, which may be partly due to the selective survival of women with higher blood pressures, though longitudinal studies indicate this difference is consistent across individuals.

Longitudinal studies also reveal that the flattening and slight decline in diastolic blood pressure observed in the elderly is a genuine sequential change rather than an anomaly. This trend underscores the complexity of blood pressure dynamics across the lifespan and highlights the need for personalized approaches in managing blood pressure, considering the interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.

In summary, while the general trend in westernized cultures shows an increase in blood pressure with age, this trajectory is intricately influenced by gender, race, genetic background, and environmental factors, necessitating a nuanced understanding and approach to blood pressure management throughout different life stages.
Blood Pressure Trends Across the Lifespan: Influences of Gender, Race, Genetics, and Environment

Inherited blood pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Both heritable and lifestyle risk factors contribute to elevated blood pressure levels.

It is likely that people with a family history of high blood pressure share common environments and other potential factors that increase their risk. Data from family and twin studies suggest that blood pressure is moderately heritable (30–50%) (Br Med J. 1963;1:75–80).

The risk for high blood pressure can increase even more when heredity combines with unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking and eating an unhealthy diet.

Genetic risk is complex, probably resulting from a combination of harmful mutations in risk genes and silencing of protective genes. Genetic hypertension in humans is due to the inheritance of multiple genes that predispose the individual (or organism) to develop the disorder, usually after puberty.

With aging comes a universal increase in systolic blood pressure (the top number) and in the risk for heart disease. Keeping physically fit may lower your odds of developing high blood pressure by a third.

A new study shows that physically fit people with a family history of high blood pressure were up to 34% less likely to develop high blood pressure than people who rarely exercised.
Inherited blood pressure

Hereditary hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. It is one of the principal independent risk factors for stroke, myocardial infarction and end-stage renal disease. Both heritable and lifestyle risk factors contribute to elevated BP levels.

Hypertension is a complex multifactorial disorder with genetic, environmental and demographic factors contributing to its prevalence.

The heritability of hypertension is often cited in the range of ≈30% to 60%, with multiple contributory genes; additionally, ethnic and genetic heterogeneity participate in variable clinical presentation and drug response in hypertension.

Genetic epidemiological studies have suggested that several genetic variants increase the risk for hypertension. It is likely that a number of genes rather than a single gene account for the heritability of this complex disorder.

Intermediate traits in physical, physiological/hemodynamic, autonomic/sympathetic, metabolic, inflammatory, oxidative, endothelial, and renal pathways displayed significant heritability, typically exceeding that reported for blood pressure itself.

A family history of hypertension is a risk factor for the person developing hypertension. Having one or more close family members with hypertension before the age of 60 means the person have two times the risk of having it also.

A family history of hypertension has been linked to other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. These factors include high cholesterol, high body fat, and being more sensitive to the effects of salt on raising blood pressure.
Hereditary hypertension

Blood Pressure and Age Relationship

Blood Pressure and Age Relationship
In most westernized cultures blood pressure rises with age but this trend depends on gender, race and initial level of blood pressure, as well as on an individual’s genetic background and environmental.

Systolic and diastolic blood pressures are approximately 70 to 50 mmHg respectively at birth. Systolic blood pressure on average rises to 94 mmHg at the end of the 1st year, and diastolic blood pressure to 52mmHg. Blood pressure is then unchanged for the next 2-3 years but rises through out childhood and adolescence. Systolic blood pressure (1-2 mmHg) rises more rapidly than diastolic blood pressure so that pulse pressure slowly increases during childhood. Blood pressure in both sexes remains the same until teenage years when girl’s blood pressure rise more slowly than boy’s, so that by 18 years boys have a blood pressure 10mmHg systolic and 5 mmHg diastolic higher than girls.

During adulthood both systolic and diastolic blood pressure rise steadily, although systolic tends to increase more rapidly than diastolic. The age related rise in blood pressure in adults is slightly steeper for women so that by the 7th decade blood pressure in the two sexes is equal: beyond this age it is slightly higher than women. While some of this differential may be explained by selective survival of women with higher blood pressures, the longitudinal study indicates that the same difference is seen in individuals. Similar longitudinal studies indicate that the flattening and slight fall in diastolic blood pressure observed in the elderly is also genuine sequential change.
Blood Pressure and Age Relationship