The word “heart” makes its way into plenty of metaphors, like “the heart of the matter” or “to strike at the heart” of something, denoting its central importance in our lives. And of course, the heart is one of the main components of our bodies that keeps us healthy and vital. Heart health is of the utmost importance, which is why preventing heart disease, and maintaining optimal blood pressure, should be top of mind for us. Ahead, we’ll discuss a recent study that may have finally struck upon the ideal blood pressure we all should strive for.
What Is Heart Disease?
First of all, what is heart disease, exactly? As cardiologist Dr. Mary Branch, MD says, it’s a constellation of problems.
“The heart is like a house,” she says. “It contains two floors, two sides, four rooms, pipes, a pump and it is run by electricity. The electricity signals the heart muscle to pump blood between chambers and to either the lungs or the rest of the body. Heart disease is a malfunction of either the pumping system (left or right ventricle), the pipes (coronary arteries) or electricity (e.g., supraventricular tachycardia or atrial fibrillation).”
She goes on to say that most people think of a heart attack as it relates to heart disease, saying that a heart attack is a blockage of one of the coronary arteries. “These are small vessels that act as small pipes bringing blood flow to the heart muscle. A blockage can compromise blood flow, which leads to a decrease in oxygen supply, leading to deterioration of the heart muscle and can cause heart pump failure or even death,” she explains.
Cardiologist Dr. Wallace R. Johnson, MD, an internal medicine physician and certified hypertension specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, notes that heart disease is a major cause of health problems and death in the United States as well as worldwide, but many types can be prevented or treated through healthy lifestyle choices, medications and surgery.
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What Can Cause Heart Disease?
Dr. Johnson lists things like hypertension (or high blood pressure), high cholesterol, obesity, tobacco use, diabetes and congenital heart disease (heart defects one was born with) as potential causes of heart disease.
So, what really is the connection between hypertension, or high blood pressure, and heart disease? As Dr. Branch puts it, blood pressure impacts the heart pump. The heart pumps against the vessels in the body. If the pressure is high, this can lead to pump failure.
Dr. Johnson adds that hypertension is one of the most common causes of heart disease, affecting as many as one in every three adults. He says that hypertension can damage blood vessels and promote plaque buildup, and this can lead to reduced blood flow to vital organs like the heart and kidneys.
He explains, “Over time, poor blood flow to the heart can damage heart muscle and lead to heart failure, which is an inability to achieve the necessary heart function that is needed to prevent illness. This can start a vicious cycle where a failing heart will be more likely to have abnormal heart rhythms, and these arrhythmias can result in hospitalization or even sudden death.”
Also, as Dr. Johnson says, uncontrolled hypertension can increase your risk for a heart attack, which is defined as a sudden and sometimes fatal occurrence of coronary blood flow (usually from plaque), typically resulting in the death of part of the heart muscle.
“It is important to remember that hypertension and heart disease are not the same diseases, so if you only recently were diagnosed with hypertension, you may be able to prevent heart disease or at least prevent it from getting significantly worse,” he clarifies.
Related: Your Live-Well Guide to Maintaining Heart Health and Preventing Heart Disease
The Exact Blood Pressure You Should Aim For
In a study that was released in June 2024, researchers found that a blood pressure range of 120 to 139 is ideal, studied among 68,000 older adults over 65 with hypertension.
“They checked mean systolic blood pressure of participants and identified that those with a blood pressure range of 120 to 139 mmHg had lower rates of death related to CVD (heart attack, heart failure and stroke) and death,” Dr. Branch says, adding that she does have one critique of the study to consider. Since this was a study completed among Korean adults, it’s important to keep in mind that elevated blood pressure has many etiologies, including genetics, nutrition, stress and environmental factors.
“We cannot extrapolate this data to represent all groups,” she says. She does say that this study is comparable to one that was completed in the United States in 2015, in which an optimal blood pressure number lies between 120 and 140.
Since blood pressure can be impacted by so many factors, even down to certain ethnic groups, as Dr. Johnson says, it’s important to discuss your blood pressure numbers with your doctor.
“All patients with hypertension should have a discussion with their physician about the appropriate goal blood pressure for them,” Dr. Johnson suggests.
Related: This Is the One Thing You Can Do to Ward off Heart Disease in Your 40s, According to Cardiologists
How to Keep Blood Pressure in an Optimal Range
Even though 120 to 140 is considered an ideal blood pressure range, again, it’s key to discuss your unique situation with your doctor. Once that number has been determined, you can work together to maintain normal blood pressure.
As Dr. Branch says, this can be accomplished with a heart-healthy diet and consistent physical activity.
“A heart-healthy diet includes reducing sodium to two grams or less, reducing sugar, red meat and fried food,” she says. “Aim to eat more vegetables, complex carbohydrates, fruits and lean meats such as salmon and tuna. Aim to eat this diet most days. It’s OK to have cheat days, but try not to make it a habit.”
She says that in terms of physical activity if you can aim to walk at least 15 minutes a day, “that would be great.” She adds that the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity and 75 minutes of vigorous activity during the week.
“However, there’s data to support that some activity is better than nothing,” she observes. “With each incremental step, you can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Dr. Johnson says that at your next doctor’s appointment, you should write down your target blood pressure, target weight, target blood sugar and target cholesterol as determined by your physician.
Also, he says that you can make a long-range plan which includes how often you will see your doctor in a year and decide with your doctor’s input how frequently you are going to monitor and record your blood pressure for review during an office visit.
“The best way to prevent hypertension and heart disease is to monitor your metrics,” Dr. Branch says. “Aim to consistently monitor your calorie intake, your activity level, your weight and your blood pressure. If you are monitoring yourself consistently, making lifestyle changes and working with your primary care doctor—you are guaranteed to have good results.”
Next up, learn the measurement you can use to calculate your heart disease risk.
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