A new study has uncovered that controlling high blood pressure may help stall dementia. The study was a large randomized trial, and it found that patients who underwent intensive treatment for high blood pressure were 19 percent less likely to experience early cognitive deficiencies compared to those who underwent traditional blood pressure treatment. Early cognitive deficiencies are often an early sign of dementia.
The researchers suggest that treating hypertension in patients could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
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Over 65 percent of seniors in the US have hypertension, which suggests that high blood pressure and dementia may have a link. Improving vascular health can go a long way in improving cognitive function.
High Blood Pressure Linked with Higher Risk of Dementia: Previous Study
A previous study which we reported on set out to answer the question of whether there was a difference between systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in terms of the associated increase in the risk of dementia later in life.
Systolic blood pressure is the measurement of the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart is beating. Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in the blood vessels when the heart is resting. The current study also measured the effects of age on these blood pressure measurements over a follow-up period of 30 years.
The study consisted of 6,895 men and 3,413 women, aged 35–55 at the outset of the study. The participants’ blood pressure measurements were taken in a sitting position, after five minutes of resting. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured twice at each follow-up. The status of patients’ dementia was analyzed by using the data from three national health databases.
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The results of the study reaffirmed the hypothesis that hypertension in middle age was related to the development of dementia later in life, but that hypertension later in life was unrelated to the development of dementia. The risk of dementia increased with prolonged hypertension in middle age, but it did not seem to affect the age at which patients were diagnosed with dementia.
We all know the importance of maintaining healthy blood pressure levels when it comes to protecting our heart health. These two studies show the added benefit that lower blood pressure can have on our brain health.
Also read:
- Essential oils for high blood pressure and how to use them
- How to lower blood pressure naturally
- High systolic blood pressure associated with increased risk of dementia: Study
- 10 early signs and symptoms of dementia in men
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
