BLOOD PRESSURE/HYPERTENSION The brain is a vascular organ, which means that blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) carry blood to, from and inside it. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, toward organs such as the brain. If those arteries are become damaged or clogged, the brain is starved of oxygen- and nutrient- rich blood that fuels nerve cells (neurons) which can lead to a seizure. It also will carry away waste. The result of all that makes the brain deteriorates and the risk of dementia increases. Lon White MD says” When arteries inside the brain lose elasticity or become twisted, blood does not flow through them as well. As a result, the neurons that do your thinking don’t get the oxygen or glucose they need to function”. Picture a hose as an artery. Now imagine pinching off parts of the hose; pressure increases and the flow slows down. This is similar to what happens to arteries over time. And just like a hose can eventually break down or burst under pressure, so can arteries. Not many people understand blood pressure readings (guilty) so I will explain. Let’s say your reading is 118/78 the top number 118 is called systolic, and 78 the bottom number is called diastolic. A normal systolic blood (top number) pressure is below 120, and a normal diastolic blood pressure number is less than80. A systolic of 120 to 139 indicates prehypertension (borderline high blood pressure). A systolic blood pressure of 140 or higher is considered to be hypertension. A diastolic number (bottom number) of 80-89 indicates prehypertension. A diastolic blood pressure number above of 90 or higher is hypertension. Systolic is the pressure of your heart when it beats and pumps blood; diastolic is the pressure in the arteries when your heart rest between pumps. Hypertension alone gradually diminishes blood supply to the brain and destroys neurons. Perhaps more harmful are tiny injuries (microinfarcts) that act like pin pricks in a hose. These microinfarcts may be unnoticeable small, resulting in only temporary, partial blockages of blood supply. Over time though, more areas of the brain can be damaged, leading to memory loss, confusion, and other signs of dementia. Professor of Neurology, MD, DR. Vladimir Hachinski explains,” People with this kind of damage often have difficulties with executive functioning like planning and multi-tasking”. Studies have found accelerated brain aging against pre and hypertensive individuals in their 40’s. These studies suggest that damage to the brains blood vessels develops gradually over time and eventually has clear effects on thinking. However, many people don’t realize they are at risk. Some develop hypertension in their 20’s & 30’s that goes undetected for many years. The good news: people can influence their late life brain health by knowing and treating their blood pressure-even at a young age, when they wouldn’t necessarily be thinking about it. Hypertensive warnings: when blood pressure is high, rapid pulse, headaches, dizziness, sweating, visual disturbance, and shortness of breath. Challenging your mind and body is important. You want to do more than sitting down and reaching for the remote as an arm exercise. You want to exercise your whole body. It’s the same with the brain the more you use it, the better and sharper it will be.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 20:14:03 +0000
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