Relationship between blood pressure and brain

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It's not just high blood pressure (hypertension) that affects our brain and heart, but so does low blood pressure. So what is the relationship between blood pressure and the brain?

1. How does blood pressure affect your brain?

High blood pressure is known as the "silent killer", it often has no symptoms or warning signs but can significantly increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
The higher your blood pressure, the harder your heart has to work to pump blood around your body and the more likely it is to cause damage to your heart muscle. However, since all parts of your body rely on circulation, it's not just the heart that is affected. If blood doesn't circulate at high pressure, it can damage arteries as well as vital organs such as the kidneys, eyes and brain.
High blood pressure (or "hypertension") has been shown to damage small blood vessels in the parts of the brain responsible for cognition and memory, significantly increasing the risk of developing Alzheimer's or another dementia.
Being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease can also take a toll on your emotions and make you more susceptible to anxiety and depression. And just as blood pressure can affect your mood, mood can also affect your blood pressure:
Stress can increase the body's production of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, thereby making hypertension. Using alcohol, nicotine, junk food, or stimulants to regulate mood can also raise blood pressure. Even isolating yourself from family and friends, a common symptom of depression and anxiety, can drive blood pressure higher and harm heart health. High blood pressure and problems Pervasive mental health can often be attributed at least in part to the same unhealthy lifestyle factors, such as pressure, stress, unhealthy diet, and lack of exercise. Making lifestyle changes to address hypertension can help improve your mental health, and vice versa. Although hypertension is very common, the good news is that it is also very easy to correct. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on your numbers and help protect the health of both your heart and brain.
Low blood pressure (known as "hypotension") is a much less common problem than high blood pressure, but it can still significantly affect blood flow to the brain, affecting the brain. brain activity and increase the risk of shock, stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.

2. Check your blood pressure readings

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and has two components:
The higher number, or systolic pressure, is when the heart pumps blood into the arteries. The lower number, or diastolic blood pressure, is when your heart relaxes between beats. The systolic number is recorded first, with an ideal blood pressure reading below 120/80mmHg. The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology define high blood pressure, or hypertension, as a blood pressure of 130/80 or higher (systolic blood pressure of at least 130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure). at least 80 mm Hg, or both).
Your blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day, with a lot of variation. Blood pressure spikes if you're exercising or late to a meeting, and drops when you're sleeping or relaxing with loved ones. Because blood pressure can vary greatly, if you've been diagnosed with hypertension, you may want to monitor your blood pressure at home regularly.
Choose a blood pressure monitor that wraps around the arm. They tend to be more precise than what works on the wrist or finger.
Do not drink caffeine or smoke for at least 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. Sit quietly in a chair for a few minutes before taking the measurement, then make sure your arms are supported and your elbows are level with your heart when you take your blood pressure.

Small changes can make a big difference. According to a Harvard study, having high blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke by 220%. On the other hand, a 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure can reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 44%.
But low blood pressure can also increase your risk of shock, stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure. There are no specific results that determine when blood pressure is too low. Instead, doctors rely on the presence of symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, and unsteadiness when standing to diagnose hypotension.
If you experience such symptoms, your doctor will look for an underlying cause such as a medication side effect, nutritional deficiency or heart problem. In addition to a low-sodium diet, many of the same lifestyle changes used to treat high blood pressure may also be effective in controlling low blood pressure.

3. Causes of high blood pressure

There is no single cause of high blood pressure, there are many factors that contribute to this condition. Some factors are out of control, such as age, race, sex, and family history: Blood pressure tends to increase around age 70, affecting women more than men over 55. and is more common in African-Americans than in Caucasians, perhaps due to genetic sensitivity to salt.
Many other risk factors for hypertension are under control. Being overweight, eating a lot of salt, smoking, drinking excessively, and not getting enough exercise can all affect your blood pressure.
There are also specific substances that can increase blood pressure, such as:
Caffeine includes coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks. Prescription drugs, including some used to treat ADHD, birth control pills, corticosteroids, atypical antipsychotics, MAOIs, and SNRIs used to treat depression, and certain cancer medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Cough and cold medicines that contain decongestants or NSAIDs. Herbal supplements such as ephedra and yohimbine.

4. Measures to control blood pressure index

The first treatment for high blood pressure is to make healthy lifestyle changes with the following:
Exercise Eat a heart-healthy diet Lose weight Manage stress Quit smoking Taking any What blood pressure medication your doctor recommends is also important. There are different medications to control high blood pressure, so if one is causing unpleasant side effects, your doctor can help you find a better fit.
Even if your doctor has prescribed you medication to help treat high blood pressure, control your weight, quit smoking, improve your diet, manage stress and exercise regularly it is still important to stay healthy. keep your heart healthy and control your blood pressure in the long run.
Start gradually and make a change or two to start. Once those changes have become habits, you can tackle one or two other changes. You may decide to start by giving up smoking and adopt some relaxation techniques to help reduce the stress of quitting, then move on to losing weight or improving your diet.
Doing something, no matter how small, is always better than doing nothing. For example, if you are eating healthy foods during the week, then eating processed foods later in the week, your blood pressure and overall health will still be in better shape than if you eat processed foods. available every day.
It can be seen that blood pressure is closely related to the health of the brain and heart, so you need to pay special attention to this issue to ensure your health.
Periodic health checkup is one of the best early recognition and disease prevention methods for patients with a history of stroke, from which to have an optimal treatment plan. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs. Customers can register to be examined by a team of qualified doctors with many years of experience in the profession.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.