Which condition is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke?

The correct answer is high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is recognized as a significant risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and stroke. It contributes to the damage of blood vessels over time, increasing the workload on the heart and leading to conditions such as heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. Elevated blood pressure can result from various lifestyle factors, including poor diet, lack of exercise, and excessive alcohol intake, but can also be influenced by genetic predisposition and underlying health conditions.

Narrowed and widened pulse pressures, while they can indicate certain cardiovascular conditions, are not direct risk factors in the same way high blood pressure is. A narrowed pulse pressure often suggests conditions such as heart failure or pericardial effusion, while a widened pulse pressure can be seen in conditions like aortic regurgitation or arteriosclerosis, but their implications for cardiovascular disease are more nuanced and typically secondary to other risk factors. A normal pulse pressure generally indicates a healthy cardiovascular system. Therefore, high blood pressure stands out as the most direct and significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke among the options provided.