What causes insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain?

There are many causes of insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain, including unhealthy lifestyles, diseases, or medications.

1. Unhealthy lifestyle

If a patient frequently stays up late, smokes, drinks alcohol, experiences excessive mental stress, or habitually consumes spicy, stimulating, and greasy foods, the progression of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis may accelerate, which can impair cerebral circulation. This condition may lead to inadequate blood supply to the brain.

2. Diseases

Narrowing of the arteries or atherosclerosis can reduce blood volume within the cardiovascular system, resulting in insufficient cerebral perfusion. Additionally, when blood clots form within the heart or brain's blood vessels, they may block blood flow, causing ischemia in the affected areas. If the blood is overly viscous, blood flow velocity decreases accordingly, which may also lead to inadequate blood supply.

3. Medications

Prolonged use of antihypertensive drugs such as nifedipine or irbesartan may result in excessively low blood pressure or overly rapid blood pressure reduction, leading to insufficient cardiac output and consequently causing symptoms of inadequate blood supply to the heart and brain. Moreover, long-term use of beta-blockers such as atenolol or metoprolol, especially when resulting in excessively slow heart rate or low blood pressure, may also easily cause insufficient blood supply to the heart and brain.