Hypertension, raised blood pressure, is very damaging to tissues and organ function throughout the body. It significantly increases the pace at which capillaries rupture, leading to small areas of cell death. The loss of function adds up, particularly in the brain, where this damage shows up as white matter lesions in imaging. The study here illustrates the damage done, and reinforces the message that control of blood pressure is very important for long term health. It has already been shown to reduce mortality, and the work here g…
More Aggressive Blood Pressure Control Reduces the Structural Damage Done to the Brain
Hypertension, raised blood pressure, is very damaging to tissues and organ function throughout the body. It significantly increases the pace at which capillaries rupture, leading to small areas of cell death. The loss of function adds up, particularly in the brain, where this damage shows up as white matter lesions in imaging. The study here illustrates the damage done, and reinforces the message that control of blood pressure is very important for long term health. It has already been shown to reduce mortality, and the work here g…