Study: High blood pressure threatens brain health

(CBS) – Another reason to better control your blood pressure: High blood pressure later in life may contribute to blocked blood vessels and related tangles to Alzheimer's Disease

After following nearly 1,300 elderly people until their deaths, scientists discovered significantly higher risks of one or more brain lesions in people with Alzheimer's disease. high systolic blood pressure readings.

These lesions were dominated by what is called infarction "- dead tissue areas caused by blockages in the blood supply that can trigger strokes.

Normal blood pressure is defined as 120/80 mm / Hg or less.The upper number is known as systolic blood pressure (vessel pressure during heartbeat), while the lower number is diastolic blood pressure (pressure between beats

The American College of Cardiology recommendations, defining high blood pressure as 130/80 mm / Hg or higher.

"We have known for several decades that a higher blood pressure , especially younger in life, is linked to strokes. disease and wanted to consider the issue of blood pressure later in life, "said author of the study, Dr. Zoe Arvanitakis. She is Medical Director of the Rush Memory Clinic in Chicago

"I think this information is of great value to researchers studying brain changes in aging," she added, "and certainly underscores the need for much more research. "

Arvanitakis and his team followed around 1300 people until their death, which occurred at an average age of nearly 89 years . Two-thirds of the participants, who were mostly women, had a history of high blood pressure. The researchers learned that 48% of patients had one or more cerebral infarction lesions using post-mortem autopsy results from participants. The risk of injury was higher in people with higher mean systolic blood pressure over the years

For example, in a person with an average systolic blood pressure of 147 mm / Hg vs. 134 mm / Hg, probabilities of brain damage. increased by 46 percent. A lower but still significant risk of brain damage has also been observed in people with high diastolic blood pressure.

In search of signs of Alzheimer's disease in autopsied brains, the researchers also observed an association of death and higher amounts of tangles – nodes of brain cells signifying the presence of disease.

However, amyloid plaques, which also characterize a brain with Alzheimer's, were not related to blood pressure in the research. Arvanitakis said that further studies are needed.

Ajay Misra is President of Neuroscience at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, New York. He described the study as "very important" and said it should spark a crucial dialogue on how best to manage blood pressure in older people. has come out, but there are more questions than answers, "said Misra, who was not involved in the new research." This study was made to provoke such questioning. "

Misra noted that the study found that the rapid decrease in blood pressure in the elderly increased the risk of stroke.In his opinion, the arteries become less elastic as we get older, it is therefore necessary to slightly increase the blood pressure so that the blood circulates properly.

"This reminds us that you can not publish that. A set of guidelines on blood pressure is good for everyone, "he added. "I think it will be either age-specific on how blood pressure should be maintained, or there should be specific guidelines for the disease or circumstances."

The study was published online July 11 in the journal .