Happy Thursday, Zapien 👋

Blood pressure - when you first read it, it sounds a little boring; like an old-school metric we've all heard about too many times. But maintaining a healthy blood pressure is one of the most important aspects of health and longevity.

Yet here are some devastating facts:

• Depending on the country, one-third to more than half of people have high blood pressure.

• Over 20% of people don't know they have it.

• 64% of Americans (and probably Europeans as well) are confident that they understand their blood pressure numbers, but only 39% actually know what normal or healthy blood pressure is.

So do yourself a favor: Take some time this week to learn more about your blood pressure.

Forever,
Lisa, Karol & Simon

TODAY’S ISSUE

LONGEVITY BEAT

Blood pressure (BP) is the force that blood exerts on the walls of arteries and veins. Without this force, the flow of blood cannot be maintained and your organs won’t receive the necessary nutrients and oxygen.

There are a number of variables determining your BP, including cardiac output, compliance (stiffness) and diameter of your arteries, blood volume and thickness etc. Check out the details in this physiology learning module.

Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are important when measuring blood pressure.

Systolic BP is the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood into the body.

Diastolic blood pressure, on the other hand, is the lowest pressure in the blood vessels just before the next heart contraction when the heart muscle is relaxed and has refilled with blood.

What’s the link between blood pressure and longevity?

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can damage the endothelium (the inner cellular wall of blood vessels) and promote atherosclerosis (fatty deposits, or "plaques," in and on the artery walls).

The growing plaques can eventually narrow and harden the arteries, restricting blood flow to various parts of the body, including the heart and brain. This can lead to heart attacks, strokes, renal artery blockages and other life-threatening conditions.

But it’s more than your heart at risk: Optimal BP helps your brain stay at least six months younger than your actual age. High and variable BP can promote cognitive decline and structural brain changes and increase the risk of dementia.

What’s the best way to measure BP?

As Peter Attia has pointed out in many of his podcasts, hypertension is perhaps one of the most under-diagnosed conditions - and the problem is completely fixable.

Most people get their BP checked about once a year at their annual physical, not realizing that the one number probably doesn't tell them much (blood pressure variability, suboptimal procedures, and let's not forget the phenomenon called white-coat hypertension).

Ideally, you should measure your BP twice a day (morning and afternoon/evening) for 2 weeks and repeat this several times a year.

Check out today's product section to learn more about the technology aspect.

What are optimal values?

There are some discrepancies as to when clinically defined hypertension is present. In Germany, for example, first stage hypertension is defined as 140-159/90-99 mmHg, whereas in the U.S, you’re already in first stage with 130-139/80-89 mmHg.

Remember, one reading isn't enough. If you monitor yourself at home, a good rule of thumb is that if your readings average high for 7 days in a row, it's time to take action.

You may wonder if lower blood pressure is always better. Well, only up to a point: If your blood pressure drops too low (below 90/60 mmHG), you may have a condition called hypotension. Something you want to avoid as well, since hypotension can cause dizziness and fainting by not allowing enough blood to reach your organs.

SHORT HACK, LONG LIFE

Clinical hypertension should, of course, be treated according to your doctor's recommendations, which may include lifestyle changes and/or medications such as diuretics, calcium channel blockers, or ACE inhibitors.

If you're in the "normal" range and want to optimize for a longer life, there are a few things you can do on your own that can make a big difference:

Bear in mind that all of the above may take a few days or even weeks to take effect, which is still relatively quick.

RECOMMENDED

To regularly measure your blood pressure, we recommend getting a blood pressure monitor for home use.

There are three options available, each with its own pros & cons regarding usability, accuracy and price:

Critical for the use of all devices:

• Sit comfortably and quietly for at least 5 minutes before each test

• Cuff must be positioned correctly (depends on cuff)

• Ensure as much quiet as possible (most measurements rely on blood flow acoustics)

• Ideally, make sure you have not had any "uppers" or "downers" (coffee, tea, alcohol, cigarettes...) in the last few hours

• Do not measure directly after eating, exercising, or if you haven't been to the toilet in a while

HEALTH & LONGEVITY NEWS

BECAUSE WE LOVE NUMBERS

⚡️ 3 Years ⚡️

A 50-year-old whose hypertension is tightly controlled (systolic pressure <120 mm Hg) will live 3 years longer than if it’s treated to maintain the more traditional <140 mm Hg.

ABOUT US

Lisa has a PhD in Medical Biology. She was a researcher at Harvard Medical before developing D2C laboratory diagnostics.

Karol is a serial founder who helped thousands of people build healthy eating habits with Upfit.

Simon is a healthcare entrepreneur who brought the doctor online-booking service Doctolib to Germany.

WHEN YOU ARE READY, THIS IS HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

Health Disclaimer

New Zapien’s products and services are not intended to substitute for professional medical guidance. Our content and media offerings do not aim to diagnose, cure, or address any medical issues.