Effects of hypertension on the body -
They occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the brain or the fluid that surrounds it. This can happen in either of two ways. In a thrombotic stroke, the clot forms in a diseased artery within the brain itself.
In an embolic stroke, the clot forms outside the brain, then breaks away and is carried by the blood to the brain, where it lodges in a previously normal artery. Most emboli originate on atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery or aorta, or in the heart itself.
Each of these major types of strokes has a milder counterpart. Although major hemorrhagic strokes are impossible to overlook, MRI studies show that small microbleeds are much more common.
Similarly, many people have tiny ischemic strokes, which are classified as lacunar strokes because of their small size. Although a simple microbleed or lacunar stroke is not likely to produce symptoms, a series of these events can produce major problems, including memory loss, or cognitive dysfunction see below.
These "silent" strokes are particularly common in people over 60, especially if they have hypertension. High blood pressure is the leading cause of strokes, both symptomatic and silent.
Both systolic and diastolic hypertension contribute to risk; the higher your pressure, the higher your risk.
That's the bad news. Mental decline is one of the most feared consequences of aging. But although many senior citizens experience some changes in memory as they grow older, most men who remain healthy continue to function at high levels. They learn to compensate for minor changes in the speed of recall and to use the wisdom that has accumulated over the years to maintain the ability to reason and think creatively.
Unfortunately, many men don't stay healthy, and many develop cognitive dysfunction. A variety of illnesses and medications can contribute to cognitive dysfunction — and as research continues to come in, it's increasingly clear that hypertension takes a toll on the aging brain.
Mild cognitive impairment can be a problem, but it's usually quite manageable. But severe memory loss is a disaster; you may think of it by its old name, senility, but doctors now use the term dementia to characterize these severe disturbances of memory, reasoning, and judgment.
Although dozens of neurological diseases can cause dementia, just two account for the lion's share, multi-infarct or vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Multi-infarct dementia occurs when small vessels in the brain become diseased or blocked, depriving brain cells of the oxygen and glucose they need.
If enough nerve cells are damaged or killed by the process, memory can't be restored. Alzheimer's disease is different. The condition is associated with the accumulation of tau protein and beta-amyloid that form neurofibrillary tangles and plaques in the brain.
In many cases, the part of the brain that is responsible for memory the hippocampus is hit the hardest. Patients with hypertension often have additional medical problems that influence the choice of a blood pressure medication.
Here are some conditions that may benefit from a specific class of medication; in every case, a physician should choose the medication that's best for that particular patient. Since hypertension damages blood vessels, it's easy to see how it contributes to vascular dementia.
Although the link to Alzheimer's disease is less obvious, research suggests that vascular damage and tissue inflammation accelerate injury. The details vary from study to study, but the weight of evidence now suggests that high blood pressure increases the risk of mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, and even Alzheimer's disease.
Both systolic and diastolic hypertension take a toll; in general, the higher the pressure and the longer it persists without treatment, the greater the risk. Most investigations focus on older adults.
Doctors may be able to help ease the burden of dementia, but the damage and disability cannot be reversed. That makes prevention doubly important. Can treating hypertension help prevent dementia? Several American studies are only slightly less optimistic.
It's good to know that blood pressure control can reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction. But what about men who already have mild memory loss?
Can treating hypertension help stave off further damage? Italian scientists studied 80 patients with mild cognitive dysfunction. It's only one study, and a small one at that. For your head as well as your heart, get your blood pressure down. And even if you forget that hypertension is bad for your brain, remember that men with normal blood pressures live about five years longer than hypertensive men.
The first step is to know your blood pressure. The next step is to know your goal. Third, live right. Lifestyle modification can lower your blood pressure.
It's an essential part of prevention and treatment of high blood pressure. Here are five steps that can help:. Reduce your sodium intake to less than 2, mg a day; 1, mg is the new, though stringent, goal for people with hypertension and for totally healthy folks who are middle-aged and older.
Reduce your intake of animal fat and processed foods, but chow down lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish.
A good diet can lower systolic blood pressure by 10 to 22 mm Hg. Moderate exercise is excellent, even outperforming intense exercise in some studies. Walking for 30 minutes a day is one way to lower your systolic pressure by 4 to 9 mm Hg or more.
Weight control. Diet and exercise will get you there. An obese person who sheds 20 pounds can expect a drop of 5 to 20 points in blood pressure over and above the benefits of diet and exercise. Limit alcohol use.
Light to moderate drinking to the tune of no more than one drink a day won't raise your blood pressure, but heavy drinking will. Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs judiciously. Long-term use of NSAIDs ibuprofen, naproxen, others can raise blood pressure, particularly in older people.
Stress control. It's easier said than done in today's hectic world, but winding down can help you keep your pressure down.
When medication is needed, doctors most often start with a thiazide diuretic, ACE inhibitor, angiotensin-receptor blocker, or calcium-channel blocker. The more the plaque and damage increases, the narrower the insides of the arteries become — raising blood pressure and starting a vicious circle that further harms your arteries, heart and the rest of your body.
This can ultimately lead to other conditions ranging from arrhythmia to heart attack and stroke. You may not feel that anything is wrong, but high blood pressure could be quietly causing damage that can threaten your health.
The best prevention is knowing your numbers and making changes that matter in order to prevent or manage high blood pressure. Get the high blood pressure fact sheet: English PDF Spanish PDF. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors.
See our editorial policies and staff. High Blood Pressure. The Facts About HBP. Understanding Blood Pressure Readings. Why HBP is a "Silent Killer". Health Threats from HBP. Changes You Can Make to Manage High Blood Pressure.
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New research hypettension little risk of obdy from prostate Normal body fat range. Discrimination at work is linked bosy high blood pressure. Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud's phenomenon? Hypertension is a circulatory disease. All parts of the body depend on the circulation, and many organs suffer from the impact of untreated hypertension. High blood pressure, also known as Natural weight loss for seniors, is kn your blood pressure, Effrcts force of your blood Normal body fat range against the walls of your blood vessels, is consistently too Effects of hypertension on the body. To survive and function properly, hypertenison tissues and organs need the Effechs blood that your circulatory system carries throughout the body. When the heart beats, it creates pressure that pushes blood through a network of tube-shaped blood vessels, which include arteries, veins and capillaries. This pressure — blood pressure — is the result of two forces: The first force systolic pressure occurs as blood pumps out of the heart and into the arteries that are part of the circulatory system. The second force diastolic pressure is created as the heart rests between heart beats.
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