
Blood pressure might be associated with dementia.
Recent research reveals that blood pressure can be related to dementia in some cases and this condition is known as orthostatic hypotension.
A team of experts developed a study which involved 6,000 Dutch men and women to discover the link between blood pressure and dementia. However, this study was not able to find the direct causes and effects as the research is still on.
According to Dr. Irving Gomolin, a geriatrician at Mineola N.Y. Winthrop-University Hospital, “The study adds to the increasing body of knowledge that links cerebral blood flow to cognitive [thinking] disorders.”
During the study, the team from the Netherlands Erasmus Medical Center found out that the sudden drop off in blood pressure when a person stands up increases the long-term risks of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by 15 percent.
They studied this exact process, because when we suddenly stand up, most of us experience a head rush or we simply feel a little dizzy. This orthostatic hypotension is nothing new as scientists have known since a long time ago that this condition causes a low blood flow.
In other words, the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen, and that is why these persons experience a little dizziness for a couple of seconds. It is important to underline that seniors are most vulnerable to the consequences of the sudden low blood pressure.
Based on the findings, the team came to the conclusion that older people have a higher chance of suffering from brain dysfunction. The lack of oxygen is known as hypoxia, and it is especially dangerous for mental health because it destroys brain tissue.
However, the experts stressed that sudden low blood pressure is not a deciding fact in the development of dementia as many patients who suffer from this devastating brain disease don’t have orthostatic hypotension.
High blood pressure has the same effect on the brain meaning that mental health suffers the consequences in both cases. The key to a moderate blood pressure and to reduce the risk of developing dementia is to adopt o healthier lifestyle.
People who keep themselves busy not just with their jobs but also by working out and sticking to excellent diets have a lower risk of developing brain diseases over the years. Scientists will continue their research to find the cause-and-effect between high/low blood pressure and dementia.
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