Hypertension, or hypertension, once considered the middle age and the disease of the elderly. However, doctors are now looking at a lot of young adults with high blood pressure in their 20 and 30s.

In addition to secondary causes of genetic, hormonal, family and high blood pressure, lifestyle habits are running this trend. Poor diet, high consumption of fast food, processed food, packed items, and high in sodium but low, vegetables, s and whole grains are the major contributors. Sauce, pickle and packed foods add to excess salt intake.

Desk jobs, online education, lack of regular exercise, weight gain, immoral movement, and prolonged working hours make a sedentary lifestyle and risk. Career pressure, job insecurity, educational expectations and even social media exposure stress play a role. This stress leads to a deficiency of TOA, the sympathy triggers the nervous system, and increases the levels of cortisol, which increases blood pressure. Smoking, alcohol, bipo -dominated drinking and using entertaining drugs are also important reasons.

Revised BP Threshold means for young adults

Earlier, hypertension was diagnosed when systolic blood pressure was more than 140 mm Hg and diastolic more than 90 mm Hg. Under the current ACC/AHA 2025 guidelines, 130 mm Hg and above systolic and 80 mm Hg and above diastolic blood pressure are classified as stage one hypertension. If systolic is more than 140 and diastolic is more than 90, it is classified as step two hypertension.

This means that many young adults with readings between 130–140 mm HG systolic and 80–90 mm HG diastolic, who think that their blood pressure is normal, is actually stage in a hypertension. At this stage, regular exercise in lifestyle, healthy diet, low salt, drug abuse and adequate sleep changes can help prevent progress.

How pre-hypertension can progress quietly

Pre-hypertension, which is systolic below 130 mm Hg and diastolic below 80 mm Hg, is a phase where lifestyle measures should begin. Without intervention, blood pressure can progress quietly to phase up one, step two or resistant hypertension.

Uncontrolled hypertension affects vital organs. The heart can develop thick ventricular hypertrophy. Eyes can show changes with high blood pressure in the retina. Kidney may show high creatinine levels or protein leakage in urine. In advanced cases, very hypertension can be intracranial hemorrhage, stroke or sabrachanoid hemorrhage.

Lifestyle vs. Medicine in new guidelines

Doctors emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. For Stage One Hypertension (130–140 systolic and 80–90 mm HG diastolic), lifestyle is the first line of modification treatment. However, if a person has high heart risk, diabetes or kidney disease, a low dose dose is recommended on stage 1 hypertension.

For stage two high blood pressure (diastolic above 140 and diastolic above 90 mm Hg), single or combination drug therapy is advised whether lifestyle changes are not effective.

Why public awareness is immediate need

The recommendation of annual blood pressure screening begins at the age of 18. For people with borderline blood pressure, home monitoring with digital BP machine or ambulatory monitoring is useful.

Lifestyle remains the safest defense. This includes following a dash or Mediterranean diet, consuming more potassium containing diet, limiting salt to less than 2.5 grams per day, and avoiding processed foods and saturated fat. It is recommended that you walk in moderate exercise, bicycle, or also train the train two to three times every week. Yoga, meditation, medical and social interaction are all beneficial for stress management. It is equally important to quit smoking and restrict the use of your alcohol.

Medical therapy requires only when lifestyle measures fail.

By inputs: Dr. M. Sudhakar Rao, Advisor – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road, Bangalore