Ten kinds of oral bacteria were found to be associated with a higher risk of hypertension in women in a study published March 2 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers examined data for 1,215 postmenopausal women who were enrolled in an osteoporosis and periodontal disease study between 1997 and 2001, including medications, lifestyle histories, blood pressure and oral plaque samples taken at the time of study enrollment.
About 35 percent of study participants had normal blood pressure with no use of blood pressure medication. Nearly 24 percent had elevated blood pressure with no medication use, while about 40 percent of participants had prevalent and treated hypertension.
Researchers identified 245 strains of oral bacteria in the plaque samples. Nearly one-third of participants who did not have hypertension or were not being treated for hypertension during study enrollment were diagnosed with high blood pressure during the follow-up period, which was an average of 10 years. The analysis found that 10 types of bacteria were linked with a 10 to 16 percent higher risk of hypertension and five other strains were associated with a 9 to 18 percent lower risk.
The AHA said the results are relevant because high blood pressure is more prevalent among older women.
A cause and effect relationship cannot be inferred because of the study's observational approach, the AHA said in a March 2 news release. A randomized trial would provide evidence needed to confirm which bacteria strains did or did not lead to the development of hypertension over time.