NEW YORK, Dec 7: A recent study indicates a strong correlation between spouses when it comes to high blood pressure, revealing that if one partner has hypertension, there's a high likelihood that the other does too. Researchers examined data from middle-aged and older heterosexual couples in four countries, uncovering a notable prevalence of both spouses experiencing hypertension. In the US, over a third of couples in their 50s or older share high blood pressure.

NBC medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula emphasized the shared lifestyle factors among couples, stating that habits and daily routines significantly impact blood pressure. While the risk of high blood pressure naturally increases with age, investigators were surprised by the findings. One potential explanation is that spouses' health habits tend to align over time.

The study analyzed health data from nearly 4,000 US couples, over 1,000 British couples, more than 6,500 Chinese couples, and over 22,000 Indian couples. The highest prevalence of both spouses having high blood pressure was in England, with 47% sharing hypertension. In the US, 38% of couples exhibited this condition, while the prevalence in China and India was 21% and 20%, respectively.

Given the silent and potentially severe nature of high blood pressure, doctors are encouraged to treat couples as a unit. Elvira D’souza, a member of the Journal of the American Heart Association’s patient editorial board, suggested "couple-centered strategies," including joint doctor’s appointments and regular blood pressure monitoring at home.

Lifestyle changes such as exercise, reduced salt intake, a healthy diet, stress management, and limiting alcohol use can collectively contribute to lowering blood pressure. Dr. Narula emphasized the importance of couples proactively managing their health together, suggesting activities like going for walks and cooking without salt as ways to make a positive public health impact.