Study Links Diastolic Pressure to Brain Lesions

Health officials are urging residents to get their blood pressure checked, emphasizing that hypertension often has no symptoms and that millions of people in England may be undiagnosed. Free checks at participating community pharmacies can help identify high blood pressure earlier and connect patients with treatment. Regional data show strong blood-pressure control in parts of southeast England, including high treatment-target achievement and relatively small gaps between more- and less-deprived communities. New research suggests the diastolic, or bottom, number may also matter for brain health: among more than 1,200 adults, higher diastolic pressure was associated with greater white-matter damage, which is linked to risks involving cognition, movement, stroke and dementia. Experts also describe chronic inflammation and damage to blood-vessel linings as contributors to vascular stiffening, underscoring the importance of monitoring both numbers rather than focusing only on systolic pressure.