Further Evidence for Reduced Blood Pressure to Lower Risk of Dementia

The raised blood pressure of hypertension causes a great deal of downstream damage. It is a way for low-level biochemical damage associated with aging to become actual physical damage to the body. Pressure damage can occur in delicate tissues throughout the body, and raised blood pressure increases the pace at which capillaries and other small vessels rupture. Further, increased blood pressure can accelerate the development of atherosclerosis, and also contributes to the pathological enlargement and weakening of heart muscle. All of this downstream harm is why forcing a reduction in blood pressure, without addressing any of the underlying cell and tissue damage that causes hypertension, can nonetheless produce benefits to long-term health. Antihypertensive medications do not in any way touch upon the biochemistry of aging, but rather act to force regulatory mechanisms of blood pressure into a certain state. There is a great deal of epidemiological evidence to show that higher blood pressure correlates with increased mortality and risk dementia. There is also a good deal of evidence for control of blood pressure via hypertensive drugs to reduce mortality and risk of dementia. Today's notes on recent research add to this evidence, reporting on a recent study in China. In this context, it is worth noting that in recent years it has become clear that lower blood pressure is better even in the normal range, that reducing below the 120s mmHg systolic blood pressure that are ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs