Rising Blood Pressure Levels during youth linked to Poor Brain Health later in life

 

Young people who have moderate to high blood pressure that gradually rises over time may be at risk for poor brain health later in life, researchers found. The elevated blood pressure levels in youth that increase during early adulthood may impact the structure of the brain and exacerbate declining brain health later in life.

The findings show how important it is to control blood pressure through your lifetime, including beginning at a younger age.

The report added that "preventing blood pressure increases as early as young adulthood may be warranted." 

Common risk factors that can lead to hypertension include: 

• High sodium or low potassium diet
• Lack of physical activity
• Obesity
• Too much alcohol
• Tobacco use
• Genetics and family history

For those living with hypertension, there are proactive steps that can lower blood pressure. And doing so may help protect brain health later in life. Given that lifestyle plays a major role in hypertension, you might be able to successfully manage your blood pressure just by making healthy changes in your daily routine and modifying behavioral risk factors. 

Pamela J. Schreiner, study co-author and professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota, stressed the power of prevention and said you have the ability to change potentially bad outcomes with minor adjustments.

"Be mindful that what happens in your twenties does matter," Schreiner said. "The time for prevention is when you're young (age 18 to 30), not in your 50s, because by then you've missed a critical period to avoid cumulative damage. You can't control genetics, but a healthy lifestyle early on goes a long way to assuring you will have a healthy middle age." 

Even small modifications in your diet and lifestyle adjustments can make a difference. Both weight loss and lowering dietary sodium intake can improve blood pressure control, Jonathan Graff-Radford, an associate professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said.

Engaging in regular physical exercise, eating a heart-healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet, and limiting alcohol consumption are some of the steps suggested by Dr. Graff-Radford. 

Treating other vascular risk factors, including diabetes, smoking, and obesity, are also associated with improved brain health, Dr. Graff-Radford said. Additionally, an emerging risk factor for dementia is hearing loss, so treating that may be an important consideration as well. 

"If it's identified that you have high blood pressure," said Dr. Graff-Radford, "It's empowering to know that by considering an earlier intervention and taking the necessary actions to treat it, you can potentially mitigate the negative effects in mid- and late life."