High Blood Pressure and Hearing Loss

High Blood Pressure & Hearing Loss

Research shows a link between high blood pressure and hearing loss.5,6 High blood pressure might lead to hearing loss because it can damage blood vessels. This damage could reduce blood flow to the inner ear or disrupt the balance of fluids in the ear, both of which can affect hearing.9

A long-term study found that high blood pressure during midlife (ages 40-60 years) can increase the risk of hearing loss later in life.5

Even if hearing tests appear normal, adults with high blood pressure may have reduced inner ear function that may not be detected by standard tests.8

testing blood pressure

Prevalence of High Blood Pressure

115 million

adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure.3

54%

of adults aged 40-59 have high blood pressure.4

75%

of adults aged 60 years and older have high blood pressure.4

blood pressure check up

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common condition where the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries is too high. It’s diagnosed when your blood pressure readings are 130/80 mmHg or higher, consistently.1,2

Often there are no obvious symptoms symptoms, which is why many people aren’t aware they have it.1

High blood pressure affects overall health

Health risks associated with high blood pressure:

  • Stroke
  • Heart Attack
  • Heart Disease/Failure
  • Kidney Disease/Failure
  • Vision Changes/Loss

How to reduce risk

Lower your risk of high blood pressure by living a healthy lifestyle1 including:

  • Engage in regular exercise
  • A healthy diet, especially one low in sodium
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Quit smoking and tobacco use
  • Manage stress

Consult your physician for all ongoing medical conditions, treatments, or concerns.

Managing high blood pressure is vital for your overall well-being, including the health of your hearing.

References:

1. High blood pressure. American Heart Association, Inc. (2024). https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure

2. Vemu, P. L., Yang, E., & Ebinger, J. (2024, February 5). 2023 ESH hypertension guideline update: Bringing US closer together across the pond. American College of Cardiology. https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2024/02/05/11/43/2023-ESH-Hypertension-Guideline-Update

3. Jaeger, B. C., Chen, L., Foti, K., Hardy, S. T., Bress, A. P., Kane, S. P., … Muntner, P. (2023). Hypertension statistics for US adults: An open-source web application for analysis and visualization of national health and nutrition examination survey data. Hypertension, 80(6), 1311-1320. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.20900

4. Ostchega, Y., Fryar, C. D., Nwankwo, T., & Nguyen, D. T. (2020). Hypertension prevalence among adults aged 18 and over: United States, 2017-2018. NCHS Data Brief, (364), 1-8.

5. Reed, N. S., Huddle, M. G., Betz, J., Power, M. C., Pankow, J. S., Gottesman, R., … Deal, J. A. (2019). Association of midlife hypertension with late-life hearing loss. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 161(6), 996-1003. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599819868145

6. Miyata, J., Umesawa, M., Yoshioka, T., & Iso, H. (2022). Association between high systolic blood pressure and objective hearing impairment among Japanese adults: a facility-based retrospective cohort study. Hypertens Res, 45(1), 155-161. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-021-00737-8

7. Baiduc, R. R., Sun, J. W., Berry, C. M., Anderson, M., & Vance, E. A. (2023). Relationship of cardiovascular disease risk and hearing loss in a clinical population. Sci Rep, 13:1642. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28599-9

8. Soares, M. A., Sanches, S. G., Matas, C. G., & Samelli, A. G. (2016). The audiological profile of adults with and without hypertension.
Clinics (Sao Paulo), 71(4), 187-192. https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2016(04)02

9. Toyama, K., & Mogi, M. (2022). Hypertension and the development of hearing loss. Hypertens Res, 45, 172-174.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-021-00789-w