Can controlling blood pressure later in life reduce risk of dementia?

This study was so successful at reducing the risk of mild cognitive impairment by lowering high blood pressure that it ended early, because the data and safety monitoring board felt that it was unethical to continue the control group. However, the dementia endpoint had not yet reached statistical significance — likely because of this early termination. Thus, while the study succeeded in one sense, it ultimately concluded that treating systolic blood pressure to below 120 mmHg (versus lower than 140 mmHg) did not reduce risk of dementia. A new analysis of many studies Because SPRINT-MIND and many other prior studies have not clearly shown whether lowering our high blood pressure can reduce our risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, meta-analyses are needed to answer this question. Researchers in Ireland looked at data from 14 studies comprising almost 100,000 participants, followed over an average of more than four years. They found that older individuals (average age 69) who lowered their blood pressure are slightly less likely to develop dementia or cognitive impairment (7.0% versus 7.5%). Thus, the answer is: Yes! Lowering high blood pressure will lower our risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. The relationship between high blood pressure and dementia So, how does lowering high blood pressure reduce our risk of cognitive impairment and dementia? Most people who have dementia don’t have just a single cause. Two or even three different problems in the brain cause...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Brain and cognitive health Healthy Aging Heart Health Hypertension and Stroke Source Type: blogs