People with spinal cord injury often experience extremes in their blood pressure. Episodes of both very high and dangerously low blood pressures caused by damage to the spinal cord may be associated with a lack of control over blood flow in the brain. This can cause a range of other problems that are directly implicated in heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among people with spinal cord injuries.
In this study from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon, Dr. Victoria Claydon will look at what happens to blood flow in the brain during episodes of extreme blood pressure in approximately 40 people with an injured spinal cord. “This project will help us to better understand cardiovascular control during extremes of blood pressures in people with spinal cord injury. These conditions are common after spinal cord injury, and markedly affect quality of life,” she says.
The hope is that this study will give us a clearer picture of how blood pressure and flow are controlled in cases of spinal cord injury and will lead to improved quality of life and better treatments and preventative strategies for people with spinal cord injury.
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