Protect Yourself Against Heart Attack and Stroke – Train Your Blood Vessels



In order to prevent oxygen-rich blood from reaching the cells in the heart or brain, a clot or buildup of plaque in an artery causes the majority of heart attacks and strokes globally. Tissues perish when occluded for too long.

However, a growing body of research indicates that brief, periodic reductions in blood flow using a blood pressure cuff may help lessen tissue damage and prevent the worst effects of heart attacks and strokes, much to how exercise prepares muscles for harder exercises. The simple, noninvasive procedure may reduce the burden on the heart and enhance cardiac and vascular function. It may also marginally lower blood pressure.

James Lang, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, collated the findings of almost 100 studies, some of which were his own, for a recent review study that was published in the Journal of Physiology. According to him, "remote ischemic preconditioning" (RIPC) usually involves applying high pressure to a person's arm for five minutes, followed by relaxation for five minutes, three to four times.                                                                                   
However, research from Lang's team and other scientists has revealed that preconditioning multiple days in a succession may strengthen the protection and promote additional health benefits. Numerous studies have shown that a single RIPC session establishes a protective window that peaks 48 hours later.

According to Lang, there are many potential uses for RIPC, including those who are getting ready for surgery, have had a heart attack or stroke in the past and are at an increased risk of having another one, are unable to exercise, have pre-hypertension, or have sleep apnea.

Even astronauts could benefit from using RIPC. They frequently engage in up to two hours of daily exercise to avoid the cardiac and muscle atrophy that microgravity in space causes. Sessions with the blood pressure cuff could be a beneficial addition to their exercise regimens.

To make sure that RIPC is effective in diverse situations and for different demographic groupings, Lang pointed out that much more research is necessary. The majority of the information on the underlying mechanisms and durability of protective effects comes from animal models from the 1980s and 1990s.

A follow-up study from other researchers found propofol, a common type of anesthesia used in surgeries, also suppresses the effects of RIPC. "Unfortunately, a lot of researchers jumped quickly to large clinical studies in the early 2000s, and their results were inconsistent due to a host of outside influences," said Lang.

Since then, scientists like Lang have been attempting to bridge the gap between extensive clinical trials and animal research.

"In the lab, we can conduct more controlled experiments with human subjects to try and determine what influences RIPC and when the optimal moment is to deliver RIPC," said the researcher.

In one study, Lang and his team discovered that a week of RIPC significantly boosted participants' micro-circulatory capacity. In another, when the subjects were sleeping, they saw a little drop in blood pressure and a less active "fight or flight" response.

Together, it was strengthening the participants' blood arteries and maybe lightening the heart's burden.

Lang measures how well a research participant's blood vessels dilate when their skin is warm as one approach to determine the effectiveness of RIPC. Lang fastens a tiny, nickel-sized device to a participant's arm both before and after RIPC. While a doppler bounces a laser light into the micro-vessels below, a tiny heater warms the skin.

The doppler Lang uses in his lab analyzes variations in the flow of red blood cells as the participant's blood artery widens in response to the heat, much like a weather radar picking up changes in the atmosphere.

According to Lang, a decrease in blood vessel flexibility (i.e., the degree to which arteries may constrict or dilate) raises the risk of dementia, hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes.

Currently, Lang is conducting research with a Des Moines University scientist to see how RIPC can benefit diabetics who experience sluggish wound healing. High blood sugar levels can harm small blood vessels, nerves, and coat arteries with plaque, which makes it more difficult to provide nutrients and white blood cells to injuries and sores.

Although RIPC has very few negative effects, Lang advises anyone considering using it on their own, outside of a research project, to speak with their doctor first.

By IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY 

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