What Your Blood Pressure Risk Looks Like by Decade-and How To Keep Yours in Check

High blood pressure isn't something that happens overnight. It creeps up slowly and can even be decades in the making. Once blood pressure progresses from balanced to too high, you might not even realize it. Case in point: In the U.S., 11 million adults with high blood pressure don't know they have it.

Since high blood pressure doesn't usually have symptoms, it's easy to brush it off as not a big deal. But that would be a huge mistake. When left untreated, high blood pressure can significantly increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of 664,470 deaths in the U.S. in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available.

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This is why it's so important to know your risk, no matter how old (or young) you are. With this in mind, we talked to three cardiologists about what blood pressure risk looks like by decade and the best ways to keep it in check. Even if you're on the younger side, this is worth reading, because high blood pressure in younger adults is becoming increasingly common.

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What Your Blood Pressure Risk Looks Like by Decade, According to Cardiologists

20s

"High blood pressure in your 20s used to be unusual. It's not anymore. I'm seeing more young patients with elevated readings, and when I do, I'm not dismissing it. Instead, I'm asking why," says Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, MD, FACC, an interventional cardiologist and functional medicine doctor.

While age is a significant risk factor for high blood pressure, if someone has high blood pressure in their 20s, this is not the cause. Instead, Dr. Bhojraj notes that the most common reasons for high blood pressure in your 20s are sleep deprivation, chronic stress, high energy drink consumption and a diet high in ultra-processed foods.

"If you're in your 20s and your blood pressure is elevated, that's your body waving a flag early. Pay attention to it," Dr. Bhojraj says.

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Dr. Christopher Davis, MD, FACC, the chief cardiologist at Humann, says that for everyone, the 20s are when habits are formed that will impact health for decades to come-for better or for worse. "This is one of the most important decades for your future health. The habits you build in your 20s can either protect you-or set you up for problems later," he tells Parade.

How can you lay the foundation for a heart-healthy lifestyle that will support you both now and decades down the road? Dr. Jay Chudow, MD, a cardiologist at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, says this includes following a heart-healthy diet (which is one that's high in whole grains and vegetables and low in salt, added sugars and highly processed foods), exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, consistently getting enough sleep and effectively knowing how to manage stress.

30s

Your 30s are when the body first starts to show signs of wear and tear, Dr. Bhojraj says. This can look like weight gain and insulin resistance, both of which are connected to high blood pressure. "Approximately 40% of men and 24% of women have been diagnosed with high blood pressure in their 30s," Dr. Chudow adds.

Stress starts to really take a toll on people in their 30s, which in turn can increase blood pressure. "Stress is one of the most underrecognized drivers. Chronic stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels and elevating blood pressure. Over time, this leads to sustained hypertension and vascular damage if not addressed," Dr. Davis says.

If you are in your 30s and haven't figured out a way to effectively manage stress yet, consider this your sign to do so. Otherwise, it could impact your cardiovascular health.

All three cardiologists also say that pregnancy can greatly impact blood pressure, something all women of childbearing age should be aware of. "Pregnancy is genuinely one of the most powerful cardiovascular stress tests a woman will ever undergo," Dr. Bhojraj says. If someone has high blood pressure during pregnancy, this is a predictor that they are at higher risk for experiencing high blood pressure in the future.

"It is important for pregnant women to have their blood pressure monitored and, if diagnosed with hypertension, it is treated appropriately," Dr. Chudow says.

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40s and 50s

"In your 40s and 50s, we see a sharp increase in risk," Dr. Davis says. He explains that this is because blood vessels naturally become stiffer over time, and the cumulative effects of lifestyle, stress and metabolic health begin to show up more clearly.

Dr. Chudow adds to this, saying that approximately 57% of men and 53% of women in their 40s and 50s have high blood pressure.

All three cardiologists say that women in menopause are diagnosed with high blood pressure at a sharper rate than pre-menopausal women. Dr. Bhojraj explains that this is because estrogen is protective for blood vessel health, and estrogen decreases during menopause. "Estrogen helps keep vessels flexible and supports healthy nitric oxide production, which naturally keeps things relaxed and open. When estrogen declines, you lose some of that protection," he says.

This doesn't mean that high blood pressure is inevitable after menopause. The cardiologists all say that it just means paying more attention to what you can control, which will in turn support your blood pressure: diet, exercise, sleep and stress management.

Dr. Bhojraj tells Parade that the 40s and 50s are also an important time to get advanced screenings. "Coronary CT scans and in-depth labs look at subtle cholesterol and metabolic metrics and can give you a much more precise picture of what's actually happening in your arteries, beyond what standard labs show," he says.

60s and Beyond

Considering that the risk for high blood pressure increases with age, being 60 or older means staying on top of your health, including knowing what your blood pressure numbers actually are. "High blood pressure rates continue to increase over the age of 60, with over 70% of both men and women carrying this diagnosis," Dr. Chudow says.

Here's what all three cardiologists want everyone 60 and older to know: It's never too late to take control of your health and turn your blood pressure numbers around. If you do have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor about how you can lower it, including by taking medication, if necessary.

"The body is remarkably adaptable. Even later in life, improving fitness, nutrition and metabolic health can significantly lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular risk. It's never too late to make meaningful change," Dr. Davis says.

Dr. Bhojraj agrees, sharing, "The only time improving habits doesn't work is if you're already dead. The body has a remarkable capacity to respond, even later in life. Meaningful improvements in blood pressure and cardiovascular risk are possible at any age when someone genuinely shifts their diet, sleep, movement and stress load."

He adds that when blood pressure is lowered, it's not just the numbers that change. Lower blood pressure means more energy, better sleep and sharper thinking. You'll not only be healthier, but you'll feel healthier, too.

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Sources:

• Undiagnosed Hypertension. Million Hearts Hospitals.
• Mensah, G. A. (2016). Hypertension and Target Organ Damage: Don't Believe Everything You Think! Ethnicity & Disease. 26(3):275-278.
• High Blood Pressure Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj, MD, FACC, interventional cardiologist and functional medicine doctor.
• Dr. Christopher Davis, MD, FACC, chief cardiologist at Humann.
• Dr. Jay Chudow, MD, cardiologist at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care.
• Blood pressure patterns in early pregnancy tied to hypertension risk up to 14 years later. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 7:50 AM.