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Unexplored effects of high blood pressure is the silent blockage of small blood vessels in the brain, which, in just five years, is able to reduce by 20% functions such as memory, language or orientation.

Is that hypertension is responsible for 70% of those mini-stroke (CVA), which may cause injury to only 1.5 cm. Also known as lacunar infarcts or subcortical, occur when a small vessel is obstructed lesion. If not caught in time can cause dementia and paralysis.

“In this case, not just about quantity but quality. That is the most important thing is the site of the brain in which these infarcts are small vessels, because they affect cognitive abilities and functional, “said Dr. Oscar Benavente, director of the Cerebrovascular Disease Program and Professor of Neurology University of Texas at San Antonio, USA.

Benavente, who was born in Argentina, is the principal investigator of the multicenter study SPS3, by the acronym in English for Secondary Prevention of Small subcortical infarcts.

Since 1999, first with a pilot study and, from 2003, with follow-up of 2300 patients from 70 hospitals in the world, five in Argentina, the team led by neurologist born in this country looks for ways to prevent those strokes small recurrence and determine the cause cognitive impairment. In addition, the SPS3, funded by the National Institutes of Health in the United States, explores how best maximum pressure should maintain a patient after a stroke: less than 130 or between 130 and 149 mmHg?

“If you, as governor or person responsible for health policy of a country, had to take a good measure for the population, would choose to prevent hypertension, because the benefit is enormous,” said the specialist. Is that 80% of participants SPS3 only hypertension.

These lacunar infarcts are three key features, detailed Benavente. “They occur at a younger age [62 years] than the other strokes, are strongly associated with hypertension, many are silent and predispose to cognitive impairment.” Zones do not affect “silent” brain (asymptomatic), the symptoms are sudden weakness the face, arm or leg, dizziness or clumsiness when moving a hand. In Argentina, of the 100,000 strokes per year, 30,000 would lacunar.