Dr. Okechukwu Anthony, a cardiologist, has said that chronic low blood pressure was dangerous because it rarely manifests obvious symptoms.
Anthony told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Abuja that low blood pressure was a “significant predictor of cognitive decline and the probability of developing dementia”. According to him, low blood pressure has no regard for age, gender, weight, cardiovascular, kidney or diabetic status. The cardiologist said that insufficient brain blood flow plays a critical role in the development of dementia, Alzheimer, and, perhaps, even Parkinson diseases. According to him, some experts believe that it may even play a primary role in the diseases. Anthony said that health problems could occur when blood pressure drops suddenly and the brain is deprived of adequate blood supply which could lead to dizziness or lightheadedness.
The cardiologist said that a sudden drop in blood pressure occurs more commonly when people rise from lying or sitting positions, to standing, and particularly advised pregnant women to take note of that. While observing that lots of Nigerians were trying to lower their blood pressure, he warned against allowing blood pressure to “fall to dangerous levels known in medical science as orthostatic hypotension”. The cardiologist disclosed that lower blood pressure could lead to stroke, heart attacks, kidney failure, and shock, warning that if not properly treated, death could occur. Anthony advised Nigerians to obtain monitors to enable them to check their blood pressure levels regularly, pointing out that health was the vehicle that carries humans through the journey of life.
