Causes of increased risk of high blood pressure in the elderly

People with chronic pain throughout the body are more likely to have high blood pressure than those with no pain or pain in certain locations.

Inflammation and depression play mediating roles

“The more widespread the pain, the greater the risk of hypertension,” said Jill Pell, professor of public health at the University of Glasgow (UK). “Part of the reason for this is because chronic pain increases the risk of depression, and depression can lead to hypertension. Therefore, when caring for patients with chronic pain, health care workers need to be aware that they are at high risk of hypertension, either directly or through depression. Recognizing and assessing pain correctly can help detect and treat comorbidities early.”

Both inflammation and depression have been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure. However, according to Pell, no previous studies have evaluated the extent to which the relationship between pain and high blood pressure is mediated by inflammation and depression, according to the journal Hypertension (USA).

Older adults with chronic pain throughout the body are more likely to have high blood pressure.

Photo: AI

This study examined the relationship between pain type, pain location, pain spread over the body, and the development of high blood pressure. Participants included 206,963 adults, with an average age of 54; 61.7% were female.

Participants were asked to complete a baseline survey, reporting whether they had experienced pain in the past month and whether the pain affected their daily activities. They also marked the location of the pain, including head, face, neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, hips, knees, or whole body. If they had pain, the study also asked whether it had lasted more than three months.

In addition, depression was also assessed based on a questionnaire asking how often people felt sad, lost interest, restless, or tired in the past 2 weeks. Inflammation was measured using a blood test that determined C-reactive protein (CRP).

High blood pressure risk varies by chronic pain location

After an average follow-up of 13.5 years, the results showed that people with chronic pain that spread throughout the body had a 75% higher risk of high blood pressure. While in people with short-term pain or pain in a certain location, the risks were 10% and 20%, respectively.

Compared with people without pain, people with different chronic pain locations also have a significant risk of high blood pressure. Specifically:

• Generalized pain increased the risk by 74% (highest).
• Abdominal pain increased the risk by 43%.
• Headache increased risk by 22%.
• Neck or shoulder pain increased the risk by 19%.
• Hip pain increased the risk by 17%.
• Back pain increased the risk by 16%.

In addition, depression (11.3% of participants) and inflammation (0.4%) also contributed 11.7% of the association between chronic pain and hypertension risk.

“This study clarifies the relationship between chronic pain location and the risk of hypertension,” said Dr. Daniel W. Jones, a professor at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine (USA), who was not involved in the study. “It is important to consider chronic pain management in the context of a patient’s overall blood pressure health, especially when using medications that may adversely affect blood pressure.”

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguyen-nhan-lam-tang-nguy-co-cao-huet-ap-o-nguoi-lon-tuoi-185251121231546079.htm