Have you suffered a stroke? Here’s why you need to keep your blood pressure under control

Blood pressure and stroke are related, so keep a tab on your blood pressure if you have suffered from one.

By: Debjani Arora | | Published: March 17, 2016 6:34 pm

Usually high blood pressure or hypertension is linked to an increased risk of stroke. However, low blood pressure is rarely linked to this risk. While this isn’t untrue, some studies suggest that stroke could also be due to a drop in your blood pressure. Though very rare, there are chances that one can suffer from an ischemic stroke due to low blood pressure. Also, suffering from low blood pressure after a stroke can increase ones chances of mortality. A study recently published in the Journal of Hypertension pointed out that very low blood pressure during the phase of stroke can decrease one’s survival rate drastically. Also Read - Commonly used blood pressure medications safe for COVID-19 patients

The study took into account at least 532 patients, who suffered a first-ever ischemic attack and their blood pressure was taken into account to draw a relation between the two. It was seen that after treatment, people who had a pressure reading of 100 mmHg had a higher risk of death than those whose blood pressure was at a range of 110-121 mmHg. A follow-up was done over a period of 66 weeks to get down to this conclusion [1]. Also Read - Rajinikanth being treated for severe hypertension: Check your blood pressure regularly

However, there are other studies that suggest keeping blood pressure low can improve one’s survival rate. Remember, the relation between BP and stroke has always been interrelated. Another study published in the journal Neurology just a year back in 2014 pointed out that keeping one’s BP in a range of less than 130/80 mmHg reduces one’s chances of suffering from a stroke, especially for people who had already suffered an ischemic stroke [2]. Also Read - Hypertension: Regulate blood pressure with these 5 yoga poses

These studies definitely show that the relation between blood pressure, stroke and survival rate is related. A reading which is too low (100 mmHg) or too high (130 mmHg or beyond) can be fatal for a stroke survivor. However, the best you can do is talk to your doctor to know your risk factors (especially if you have suffered an ischemic stroke, which you will only know after an MRI). If you need to keep your BP within a specific range to increase your chances of survival after a stroke, follow the instructions of your doctor. Fluctuating blood pressure can further increase your chances of ischemic stroke which could lead to irreparable damages to your brain and deteriorate your condition.

Reference

[1]1: Wohlfahrt P, Krajcoviechova A, Jozifova M, Mayer O, Vanek J, Filipovsky J,Cifkova R. Low blood pressure during the acute period of ischemic stroke is associated with decreased survival. J Hypertens. 2015 Feb;33(2):339-45. doi:10.1097/HJH.0000000000000414. PubMed PMID: 25380168.

[2]1: Powers WJ, Clarke WR, Grubb RL Jr, Videen TO, Adams HP Jr, Derdeyn CP; COSS Investigators. Lower stroke risk with lower blood pressure in hemodynamic cerebral ischemia. Neurology. 2014 Mar 25;82(12):1027-32. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000238. Epub 2014 Feb 14. PubMed PMID: 24532276; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3962994.

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Published : March 17, 2016 6:34 pm

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