Widespread Chronic Pain Linked to Significantly Higher Risk of High Blood Pressure, New Study finds
Glasgow, Scotland - Adults experiencing chronic pain across multiple areas of the body face a substantially increased risk of developing high blood pressure, according to research published today in Hypertension. The study, analyzing data from over 200,000 U.S. adults, reveals a strong correlation between the extent and location of pain and the likelihood of hypertension.
Researchers found that individuals with chronic, widespread pain were 75% more likely to have high blood pressure compared to those without pain. Even short-term pain showed an association, increasing risk by 10%, while chronic pain localized to specific areas raised the risk by 20% – each compared to pain-free individuals.
the study further pinpointed regional variations in risk: chronic abdominal pain was linked to a 43% increase, chronic headaches to 22%, chronic neck/shoulder pain to 19%, chronic hip pain to 17%, and chronic back pain to 16%.
The research suggests that depression and inflammation play a key role in this connection, accounting for 11.3% and 0.4% of the observed high blood pressure cases, respectively.
“The more extensive the pain, the higher the risk of high blood pressure,” explained prof. Dr. Jill Pell from the University of Glasgow. “One reason for this is that chronic pain increases the risk of depression, and depression in turn increases the risk of high blood pressure. this suggests that early detection and treatment of depression in people with pain may help reduce their risk of high blood pressure.”
This research underscores the importance of comprehensive pain management and mental health support for individuals experiencing chronic pain, potentially offering a preventative approach to cardiovascular health.