Blood Pressure and Stroke: Understanding the Connection

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the leading risk factors for stroke – a life-threatening medical emergency. The good news is that blood pressure is something we can control. Making healthy lifestyle changes and managing high blood pressure can help reduce your risk of stroke.

What is a stroke?

A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is suddenly interrupted, either because a blood vessel becomes blocked or because a blood vessel bursts and bleeds into the brain.

Without a steady blood supply, your brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, and brain cells can become damaged or die within minutes. Urgent medical attention is essential.

There are two main types of stroke:

• Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and happens when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel supplying the brain.
• Hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding in or around the brain. High blood pressure is an important risk factor for this type of stroke. You may also have heard of a mini-stroke. This is known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA) and happens when the blood supply to the brain is temporarily interrupted. Unlike a stroke, a TIA does not usually cause permanent damage to the brain, but it can be a warning sign of a possible stroke in the future, so it requires urgent medical assessment.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common condition in which the force of blood against the walls of your arteries is consistently too high. It often has no noticeable symptoms and can go undetected for years. However, over time, high blood pressure can increase the workload on your heart and cause damage to your blood vessels. This can cause the arteries to become narrower, stiffer or weaker, increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems, including stroke.

What is the link between high blood pressure and stroke?

High blood pressure can increase the risk of both main types of stroke.Over time, high blood pressure can damage the lining of your blood vessels and contribute to the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries. This can make the arteries narrower and increase the risk of a blood clot blocking blood flow to the brain, causing an ischemic stroke.High blood pressure can also weaken blood vessel walls. If a weakened blood vessel bursts, it can cause bleeding in or around the brain, resulting in a hemorrhagic stroke.This is why keeping your blood pressure within a healthy range is one of the most important things you can do to help reduce your risk of stroke.

Can other factors cause a stroke?

While high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for stroke, other health conditions and lifestyle factors can also increase your risk. Health conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and atrial fibrillation can increase your risk of stroke. Some risk factors, including your age and family history, cannot be changed. However, there are a number of lifestyle factors that you can control that may help reduce your risk of stroke. These include:

• Quitting smoking
• Reducing alcohol consumption
• Being physically active and exercising regularly
• Eating a healthy, balanced diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Managing stress

How can I reduce my risk of stroke?

Making healthy lifestyle changes and managing health conditions that increase your risk of stroke are important steps towards protecting your health. Many strokes can be prevented by addressing risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and atrial fibrillation.

Regularly checking your blood pressure can help you identify hypertension, even if you do not have any symptoms. If you have high blood pressure, working with your doctor to manage it can significantly reduce your risk of stroke.

Know your blood pressure numbers

Remember, high blood pressure often has no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know whether your blood pressure is too high is to have it checked. Knowing your blood pressure numbers and taking steps to keep them within a healthy range can help protect your blood vessels, heart and brain and reduce your risk of stroke.

If you or someone around you develops symptoms of a stroke, seek emergency medical attention immediately. Rapid treatment can reduce brain damage and save a life.