Low Blood Pressure And The Potential Risk Of Dementia

Orthostatic hypotension, also known as postural hypotension, occurs when your blood pressure falls when you suddenly stand up from lying or sitting. And now researchers have linked these dizzy spells with a potential increased risk of dementia.

It’s all about control

Dutch researchers collected the data of over 6,000 people over the course of more than two decades and found that participants who frequently experience orthostatic hypotension (commonly called get dizzy spells) have a 15 per cent increased risk of developing dementia later in life.

These dizzy spells happen when you suddenly get on your feet and blood vessels in the legs fail to constrict enough, causing blood to pool in the legs instead of returning to the heart. This restricted blood flow to the brain deprives your brain cells of oxygen, which lead to tissue damage and, if your brain cells are deprived of oxygen long enough it can even lead to loss of cognitive function.

Fortunately, preventing blood pooling is much simpler than you’d think. Before you stand up, stretch and flex your leg muscles and feet to allow the blood in your legs to flow to the rest of your body and towards your head.

Drinking plenty of water also seems to help.

But it’s also important to think about underlying causes of the condition. The elderly are particularly at risk, especially those who are in a care home facility. While the reason for this is unclear, it may be because many of them are often overmedicated, especially with blood pressure drugs.

Blood pressure that’s TOO low is more dangerous for older patients than higher than normal blood pressure. But blood pressure drugs aren’t the only ones that could be causing your dizzy spells. Sexual performance drugs sometimes reduce high blood pressure in the lungs (called pulmonary arterial hypertension) and therefore can also cause sudden, dangerous drops in blood pressure.

There are natural ways to manage your erectile dysfunction, too – and they don’t come with dangerous side effects. Because erections are all about blood flow, anything you do to boost cardiovascular health – weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking – will give you an edge in the bedroom, too.

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

Sudden BP Drops Tied to Higher Dementia Odds, webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20161011/blood-pressure-drop-dementia

Preventing and treating orthostatic hypotension: As easy as A, B, C,ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2888469/