Scientists from the University of Michigan found that higher “upper” systolic pressure readings were associated with higher odds of the two most common types of stroke. The study results published In JAMA Network Open.
The study included 38,167 people over the age of 18 who had no history of stroke. In the first phase, researchers divided the subjects into three racial and ethnic groups (white European, black, and Hispanic) and also recorded the blood pressure of all participants. After that, the subjects began an observation period.
During the observation period, scientists recorded the number of three types of strokes: ischemic (associated with thrombosis), hemorrhagic (known as intracerebral hemorrhage) and subarachnoid (bleeding into the space between the meninges – the pia and arachnoid).
The results showed that an average systolic blood pressure of 10 millimeters above normal in adulthood was associated with a 20% increased risk of ischemic stroke and a 31% increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Moreover, this association was more pronounced among blacks and Hispanics compared with white Europeans.
Scientists explained that systolic blood pressure, the top number on the tonometer, indicates the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pushes blood out. The lower number is diastolic pressure, which reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart muscle relaxes.
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Source: Gazeta
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