Married people might enjoy longer lives, but it doesn't guarantee ideal health: A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that middle-aged and elderly heterosexual couples could face increased high blood pressure risks if one partner has the condition.
The study, conducted in China, England, India, and the United States, examined data from over 30,300 couples across four countries revealing that women married to men with high blood pressure were more likely to have hypertension themselves, as were men with wives facing hypertension.
The study suggests that health-related conversations between partners and shared approaches to lifestyle changes could significantly impact hypertension management.
"High blood pressure is more common in the US and England than in China and India, however, the association between couples’ blood pressure status was stronger in China and India than in the US and England. One reason might be cultural,” said study co-lead author Peiyi Lu, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow in epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
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