Dementia and High Blood Pressure – Is there a connection?
From the desk of highbloodpressuremed.com
If you have high blood pressure, then you should keep in mind that it may also lead to loss of memory with time (Dementia). According to recent studies, managing your blood pressure could be the best protective action against loss of memory (Dementia)
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive dysfunction in middle-aged and elderly populations are related with high blood pressure. It is wellknown that high blood pressure is a risk factor for infarcts in brain and ischaemic subcortical white-matter lesions. Blood-brain barrier dysfunction is also seen in hypertensive patients which has been suggested to be involved in the cause and pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Psychological stress, and the formation of free oxygen radicals may also play a role in this regard. The findings of relationship between dementia and hypertension may have implications for prevention and treatment.
Closed relationship between high blood pressure and brain has been established according to recent research and studies. These studies revealed a kind of scarring or scars in brain due to hypertension or high blood pressure. In later years of hypertensive patients these scars can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Although these hypertensive scars appear in early ages but memory loss can accur much later. So if you have high blood pressure but have no memory disturbances, it does not mean that in future you will not have such problem.
There is very simple relationship between dementia and high blood pressure. Our brain has lot of white matter lesions which act as telephone network for the brain. These white matter lesions do provide a system of nerve fibers and axons that allows communication of various brain cells with one another. Even marginal blood pressure increase may destroy blood cells that nourish this white matter. This interrupts the signals that brain cells send to one another and leads to issues like loss of memory.
Many experts do endorse this medical fact althogh this is relatively a new study and needs the backing of recognized healthcare professionals. If aggressive management of hypertension can help protect the brain, National Institute of health may soon start a research in this regard. The basic aim of this research will be to make sure if lowering blood pressure levels than the currently advised values is usefull for both brain and the heart.
The basic premise of this study is not exactly novel as the findings of this recent study may come across as new. Primary factor is always the high blood pressure that can be managed to avert cognitive decline in old age. So we will admit here that by simply controlling blood pressure can assist in delaying behavioral changes that occur in old age such as impatience, restlessness, memory loss and managing blood pressure properly can be a substantial aid in keeping memory problems like Dementia at bay in elderly.
Quality of your life can be disturbed badly by this serious problem like dementia. So, it only makes sense that you try to prevent the problem by keeping your blood pressure in normal range.