Hypertension deaths quadruple among young women, study shows

A new study reveals a dramatic rise in hypertension-related deaths among young women, with mortality rates quadrupling over the past two decades.

Researchers analyzed death certificate data from 1999 to 2023 and found that up to 5 of every 100,000 women aged 25 to 44 died from high blood pressure-related heart disease in 2023, up from 1 in 100,000 in 1999. 

Over the past 24 years, more than 29,000 women succumbed to hypertension-linked cardiac issues.

The study also highlighted racial and regional disparities. Black women experienced nearly 9 deaths per 100,000, compared to just over 2 per 100,000 for white women. 

Geographically, women in the South had the highest hypertension-related death rate at nearly 4 per 100,000, compared with nearly 3 in the Midwest and about 2 in the Northeast and West.

Lead researcher Dr. Alexandra Millhuff emphasized the urgency of early detection and prevention. 

“We need to be screening patients in this demographic for hypertension more aggressively, and that includes mitigating risk factors and possibly using antihypertensive medications,” she said. 

She added that although hypertension is typically associated with older adults, younger women are increasingly at risk.

Experts note that sex-specific health factors, including pregnancy-related changes and pre-menopausal conditions, may increase vulnerability to high blood pressure in women.

The researchers plan to present their findings on March 29 at the American College of Cardiology meeting in New Orleans.