Approved research

Understanding the role of blood pressure in vascular and non-vascular diseases

Lay summary

High blood pressure is a well-recognized modifiable risk factor for vascular and non-vascular diseases including cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases and dementia. International medical organizations and health authorities provide recommended blood pressure targets for hypertension management. In 2017, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) proposed to lower the diagnostic cut-off readings for hypertension from systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) !140/90mmHg to !130/80mmHg, and the treatment goal for hypertension to SBP<130mmHg and DBP<80mmHg. However, the recommendation remains controversial worldwide. The aims of this study is to evaluate the role of blood pressure and its treatment in vascular and non-vascular diseases, and survival, using complimentary methods, i.e., observational and genetically, in the UK Biobank. The expected findings in this study will provide solid evidence about the role of blood pressure and its treatment in vascular and non-vascular diseases and survival to inform clinical management of diagnostic cut-off readings and treatment targets in hypertension, which is one of the commonest chronic diseases worldwide. Understanding the role of blood pressure can assist researchers and clinicians in setting evidence-based blood pressure targets and recommendations for potential interventions.