Treating hypertension aggressively in patients suffering from stroke can do more harm than good in the long run, reveals a finding by the scientists of University of Georgia.
Sixty percent of stroke patients admitted to U.S. emergency rooms have elevated blood pressure, and many studies say that having high blood pressure at the time of stroke can lead to higher rates of death and major disability.
Stroke
Stroke can cause permanent disability and it is important to recognize its early warning signs to stop its progress. Early warning signs of stroke include sudden weakness of facial muscles.
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‘Lowering the blood pressure with extensive treatment from anti-hypertensive drugs can disturb proper blood flow to the affected brain tissues.’
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But lowering blood pressure too much with medications may actually be working against the body's protective response to maintain blood flow into the affected brain tissues.
"This presents a clinical dilemma," said study author Changwei Li, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UGA's College of Public Health.
![Beauty Parlor Stroke Syndrome]( "Beauty Parlor Stroke Syndrome")
Beauty parlor stroke syndrome is a form of vertebrobasilar insufficiency that causes symptoms of mild to severe stroke after a hair wash in a beauty parlor.
It may be better to keep blood pressure a little higher than normal, closer to 140/90 mmHg rather than a "good" blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg, but that leaves the question of best practices a little open-ended.
"Currently, hypertension treatment for acute stroke patients is based on physicians' clinical experience and judgement," said Li. "There is no guideline on how low the blood pressure should be maintained."
The key is to find the right balance between maintaining blood flow to the brain and reducing negative short- and long-term effects.
To help identify this optimal blood pressure, Li and his co-authors looked at the relationship between blood pressure during stroke and both short- and long-term health outcomes for over 4,000 Chinese stroke patients participating in the China Anti-hypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke study. One group of stroke patients received extensive treatment for high blood pressure while a control group received no treatment at the time of their stroke.
Li and his collaborators tracked blood pressure changes over time in both the treatment and control groups during the first week of hospital admission and compared patient health at one week, three months, one year and two years following the stroke across patients of different blood pressure trajectories.
"We hypothesized that well-managed blood pressure may reduce further tissue death around the affected area and avoid damage to arteries, and both have short-term and long-term benefit to the patients," said Li.
They found that patients whose systolic blood pressure was maintained at around 140 mmHg experienced fewer negative health outcomes, such as a second stroke, death or cardiovascular disease. Li said the findings provide some clarity for physicians.
"However, the optimal level of blood pressure identified in our study still needs to be confirmed by large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials," he added.
Source: Eurekalert
Beauty Parlor Stroke Syndrome
Beauty parlor stroke syndrome is a form of vertebrobasilar insufficiency that causes symptoms of mild to severe stroke after a hair wash in a beauty parlor.
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It may be better to keep blood pressure a little higher than normal, closer to 140/90 mmHg rather than a "good" blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg, but that leaves the question of best practices a little open-ended.
"Currently, hypertension treatment for acute stroke patients is based on physicians' clinical experience and judgement," said Li. "There is no guideline on how low the blood pressure should be maintained."
The key is to find the right balance between maintaining blood flow to the brain and reducing negative short- and long-term effects.
To help identify this optimal blood pressure, Li and his co-authors looked at the relationship between blood pressure during stroke and both short- and long-term health outcomes for over 4,000 Chinese stroke patients participating in the China Anti-hypertensive Trial in Acute Ischemic Stroke study. One group of stroke patients received extensive treatment for high blood pressure while a control group received no treatment at the time of their stroke.
Li and his collaborators tracked blood pressure changes over time in both the treatment and control groups during the first week of hospital admission and compared patient health at one week, three months, one year and two years following the stroke across patients of different blood pressure trajectories.
"We hypothesized that well-managed blood pressure may reduce further tissue death around the affected area and avoid damage to arteries, and both have short-term and long-term benefit to the patients," said Li.
They found that patients whose systolic blood pressure was maintained at around 140 mmHg experienced fewer negative health outcomes, such as a second stroke, death or cardiovascular disease. Li said the findings provide some clarity for physicians.
"However, the optimal level of blood pressure identified in our study still needs to be confirmed by large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials," he added.
Source: Eurekalert
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is caused when body temperature or hyperthermia exceeds 40.6°C or 105.1°F. Heat stroke can be triggered due to overwork during summer months and lack of perspiration.
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 Diet and High Blood PressureHigh blood pressure or hypertension is defined as a blood pressure of above 140 mm Hg (systolic) and or 90mm Hg (diastolic). | Advertisement
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