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Blood pressure raises stroke risk

People who have fluctuating blood pressure (BP) in addition to high blood pressure are at increasedrisk for cerebrovascular disease.

Blood pressure raises stroke risk

People who have fluctuating blood pressure (BP) in addition to high blood pressure are at  increasedrisk for cerebrovascular disease.

Cerebrovascular disease, which includes stroke and other disorders that affect the brain's blood vessels, is associated with disability (including cognitive impairment, mood and movement disorders) and a decline in memory and reasoning powers in older adults. To determine the association of BP and long-term fluctuation in BP with cerebrovascular disease, researchers followed 686 dementia-free older American adults, who had their blood pressure measured during three study visits at 24-month intervals. The participants, who also underwent MRI to check for cerebrovascular disease, were divided into four groups depending on whether they had high or low blood pressure, and whether they had high or low blood pressure fluctuations during the follow-up.

Participants with the lowest fluctuations had changes of about 6 percent (among those with low blood pressure) and 5 percent (among those with high blood pressure), while those with the highest fluctuations had changes of 14 percent.

High blood pressure and fluctuations in blood pressure were both independently found to be associated with increased risk of cerebrovascular disease. But people with both factors were at even a greater risk. It was also found that participants with the highest blood pressure and fluctuation levels were most likely to be prescribed blood pressure-lowering drugs. This suggests that failure to adhere to treatment may be a source of blood pressure fluctuation.

The above findings suggest that high BP and fluctuations in BP are possible risk factors for cerebrovascular disease.
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