Engaging in 200 hours of volunteer work a year may keep hypertension at bay.
 
So says researchers with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh who found that volunteer work could be an effective non-pharmaceutical option to help prevent hypertension in older adults.
 
Study results showed that those who reported at least 200 hours of volunteer work during an initial interview were 40 percent less likely to develop hypertension than those who did not volunteer when evaluated four years later. The specific type of volunteer activity was not a factor – only the amount of time spent volunteering led to increased protection from hypertension.

"As people get older, social transitions like retirement, bereavement and the departure of children from the home often leave older adults with fewer natural opportunities for social interaction," Sneed said. "Participating in volunteer activities may provide older adults with social connections that they might not have otherwise. There is strong evidence that having good social connections promotes healthy aging and reduces risk for a number of negative health outcomes."
 
The study – which was published in the American Psychological Association’s Psychology and Aging journal – focused on more than 1,100 adults between the ages of 51 and 91 from across the United States. Participants were interviewed twice, in 2006 and 2010, and all had normal blood pressure levels at the first interview.
 
For tips on coding for hypertension diagnoses and treatment, turn to Cardiology Coder’s Pink Sheet.