Not paying attention to blood pressure control?

▎The content team editor of WuXi AppTec.
Hypertension is a common chronic disease that affects approximately 245 million Chinese
.

Many people know that high blood pressure is harmful to health and can significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary heart disease, and heart failure, and is one of the main causes of premature death worldwide
.

But did you know that the dangers of high blood pressure don't stop there! Previous studies have found that high blood pressure in middle age can damage brain health and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
.

Recently, a study published in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association (AHA), added new evidence that high blood pressure is harmful to brain health
.

The results of the study show that compared with people with normal blood pressure, hypertensive patients have smaller brains and are more likely to develop dementia; especially those 35-44 years old who are diagnosed with hypertension have a higher risk of dementia
.

Image source: 123RF This study analyzes the data in the UK biobank and can be divided into two parts: the first part is to assess the changes in brain structure of hypertensive patients; the second part is to assess the changes in the brain structure of hypertensive patients Risk of dementia
.

In the first part of the study, 22,798 participants were included, 46.
9% of whom were women
.

Participants were divided into 2 groups: 11399 (50%) patients with hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg); 11399 (50%) matched age, gender, etc.
, did not suffer Control population with hypertension
.

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the researchers measured the participants' whole brain volume, as well as the brain volume of the gray matter and white matter regions of the brain
.

Generally, the larger a person's brain capacity, the better their cognitive function
.

After adjusting for the influence of other factors, the researchers found that compared with the control group without hypertension, the whole brain and gray matter volume of hypertensive patients was significantly reduced, especially in hypertensive patients less than 35 years old
.

In the age groups of <35, 35-44, 45-54, and 55-64, compared with the control group without hypertension, the brain volume of hypertensive patients decreased by 14.
64 ml and 6.
59 ml, respectively , 3.
71 ml and 1.
77 ml; the gray matter capacity is reduced by 9.
74 ml, 6.
63 ml, 3.
83 ml and 2.
95 ml respectively
.

No significant difference was found in people over 65 years of age
.

Image source: In the second part of the study, 123RF included 248,106 participants, 46.
9% of whom were women
.

Participants were also divided into 2 groups: 124053 (50%) hypertensive patients; 124053 (50%) matched age, gender, etc.
control population without hypertension
.

Researchers collected basic health information, life>
.

During the follow-up period, there were 4626 new cases of dementia, including 1866 cases of Alzheimer's disease and 1056 cases of vascular dementia
.

After adjusting for the influence of other factors, the researchers found that having high blood pressure is associated with an increased risk of dementia, especially in people aged 35-44
.

In the age groups of <35, 35-44, 45-54, and 55-64, compared with the control group without hypertension, hypertension is associated with a 24% higher risk of dementia, respectively , 61%, 19%, and 17% are associated; they are associated with an increased risk of vascular dementia by 80%, 69%, 45%, and 53%, respectively
.

In addition, in the 35-44 age group, hypertension is associated with a 23% increase in the risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to the control group without hypertension
.

In other age groups, no significant association was found
.

In people ≥65 years of age, researchers did not find a significant association between having high blood pressure and the risk of dementia, vascular dementia, or Alzheimer's disease
.

Image source: 123RF As the study is an observational study, it only shows the association between having high blood pressure and changes in brain structure and the risk of dementia, but does not indicate a causal relationship
.

The study also has limitations, such as only one MRI; fewer participants <35 years old, etc.
, which may also affect the results of the study
.

The relationship between hypertension and the increased risk of dementia may be related to changes in brain structure.
However, the relevant mechanism has not yet been fully clarified, and further research is needed
.

Researchers pointed out that hypertension is becoming more common among middle-aged people (45-64 years old)
.

"Our findings provide evidence of hypertension early age of onset and disease associated with increased risk of dementia
.

More importantly, we found that this relationship may be associated with changes in brain capacity
.

The results raised the possibility that more Good control of blood pressure in early adulthood, delaying the occurrence of high blood pressure, and strengthening the treatment of high blood pressure will help reduce the risk of dementia in the future
.

Image source: 123RF Regarding how to better control blood pressure, China’s "National Basic Hypertension Prevention and Management Guidelines (2020 Edition)" pointed out that the "six steps to a healthy life>
.
The
"six steps to a healthy life>
.

Reduce sodium and salt intake, and the daily salt intake per person should not exceed 6 g (1 beer bottle cap); pay attention to the intake of hidden salt, such as pickles, chicken essence, soy sauce, etc.
, which are expected to reduce systolic blood pressure by 2 mmHg-8 mmHg
.

Reduce weight and maintain weight within a healthy range (BMI [BMI]: 18.
5 kg/m2-23.
9 kg/m2, waist circumference of men <90 cm, women <85 cm)
.

Weight loss of 10 kg is expected to reduce systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg-20 mmHg
.

Regular exercise, except for activities of daily living In addition, it is recommended to accumulate 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc.
) 4-7 days a week, which is expected to reduce systolic blood pressure by 4 mmHg-9 mmHg
.

Quit smoking scientifically and avoid passive smoking
.

quit smoking, although not directly lower blood pressure, but may reduce the risk of complications of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases
.

limit alcohol consumption, it is best to stop drinking
.

drinking can significantly increase the risk of developing hypertension, and the risk increases with alcohol consumption increases , Limiting drinking is best to abstain from drinking, which can lower blood pressure
.

Psychological balance, reduce mental stress, and maintain a happy mood
.

Mental tension can activate sympathetic nerves and increase blood pressure
.

Patients with hypertension should undergo stress management, individualized cognitive behavior intervention, and if necessary, psychotherapy combined with medication can be used to relieve anxiety and mental stress
.

You can also go to a professional medical institution to avoid blood pressure fluctuations caused by mental stress
.

Image source: 123RF For hypertensive patients, after the diagnosis of hypertension, life>
.

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Cancer that eats out! 6 eating habits that increase the risk of cancer, how many have you been in? References[1] Xianwen Shang, et al.
,(2021).
The Association of Age at Diagnosis of Hypertension With Brain Structure and Incident Dementia in the UK Biobank.
Hypertension, DOI: 10.
1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.
121.
17608.
[2] Earlier onset of high blood pressure affects brain structure, may increase dementia risk.
Retrieved Oct 18 ,2021,from https://medicalxpress.
com/news/2021-10-earlier-onset-high-blood-pressure.
html[3] National grassroots Hypertension Management Guidelines 2020 Disclaimer: WuXi AppTec's content team focuses on introducing global biomedical health research progress
.

This article is for the purpose of information exchange only.
The opinions expressed in the article do not represent the position of WuXi AppTec, nor does it mean that WuXi AppTec supports or opposes the views in the article
.

This article is not a treatment recommendation either
.

If you need guidance on treatment plans, please go to a regular hospital for treatment
.