Blood pressure: measurement, management, and the silent driver of vascular aging

Elevated blood pressure stands as one of the three principal causes of atherosclerosis, rivaled only by high apoB cholesterol and smoking, according to Peter Attia's systematic examination of this underrecognized epidemic. The gap between prevalence and diagnosis remains stark: most patients remain unaware of their hypertension until arterial damage is already underway, making early detection not merely clinical protocol but a longevity imperative. Attia details a complete measurement and management framework that transcends the pharmacy blood pressure cuff, drilling into the physiological mechanisms by which sustained pressure degrades the arterial endothelium and laying out interventions spanning behavioral modification through pharmacological treatment. For the longevity-conscious reader, this is not a conversation about numbers on a medical chart—it is an operational guide to detecting, measuring, and reversing one of the silent accelerators of vascular aging.