The cardiologist indicates that people who suffer from severe high blood pressure during the night are at greater risk of suffering a stroke or myocardial infarction.
According to her, blood pressure does not have a fixed value in a healthy person, but rather fluctuates throughout the day. It is higher during the day, during wakefulness, while it decreases at night during sleep by between 10 and 20% compared to its daytime levels. When the mechanisms responsible for maintaining the normal circadian rhythm are disrupted, blood pressure may not decrease sufficiently at night, or it may rise to higher levels during the day, a condition known as nocturnal hypertension, which is an indicator of poor prognosis for cardiovascular disease.
The professor points out that, according to statistics, most cases of myocardial infarction and stroke occur in the hours before waking up, which makes monitoring blood pressure during the night extremely important.
The autonomic nervous system controls blood pressure regulation, as it operates during the day in “wake mode,” while at night it switches to “recovery mode.” However, if it continues to be active during the night, blood pressure does not decrease normally, as a result of multiple physiological factors, including fluid retention due to excessive salt intake, chronic stress, or lack of sleep.
Aging also leads to the walls of blood vessels losing their elasticity, which makes them more rigid and limits their ability to expand, and thus the heart is forced to work harder even during sleep, which leads to continued high blood pressure at night.
If episodes of high blood pressure are noticed during the night, it is recommended to undergo a special test known as “24-hour blood pressure monitoring”, which helps diagnose nocturnal high blood pressure in a timely manner.
She says: “The device automatically measures blood pressure throughout the day, including during sleep, which allows calculating average daily values and fluctuations. Based on the results, the doctor evaluates the condition according to various diagnostic criteria. Maintaining stable blood pressure throughout the day is an essential element in treating nocturnal high blood pressure.”
She confirms that lifestyle modification plays an important role in controlling high blood pressure, including losing weight, reducing salt consumption, avoiding unhealthy habits, practicing regular physical activity, and maintaining healthy sleep. It also stresses the importance of adhering to the drug treatment prescribed by the doctor, as stopping or neglecting medications may significantly increase the risk of complications.
