Traditionally considered a health issue that emerges in adulthood, high blood pressure may have consequences that begin decades earlier. Researchers found that even modestly higher readings in childhood could translate into a 40 to 50 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease by midlife. At the age of seven, their blood pressure levels were measured and adjusted for age, sex and height, in line with clinical guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics. To assess long-term effects, researchers linked this childhood data to the National Death Index, tracking survival and causes of death through 2016. Out of 38,252 participants, 2,837 had died, including 504 deaths attributed directly to cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks or strokes.