What did the research discover?
This study explored whether high blood pressure (hypertension) and taking blood pressure medication in later life (ages 60 and older) affect the risk of developing dementia. Researchers analyzed data from 17 studies across 15 countries, including 34,519 older adults who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Participants were divided into three groups:
- Healthy controls (no history of hypertension).
- Treated hypertension (people with hypertension who took blood pressure medication).
- Untreated hypertension (people with hypertension who did not take medication).
The study followed participants for an average of 4.3 years and found that people with untreated hypertension had a 42% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those without hypertension. They also had a 26% higher risk than those who took blood pressure medication. However, people with treated hypertension had no significant increase in dementia risk compared to healthy controls.
Interestingly, the researchers found no link between actual blood pressure levels and dementia risk. This means that having higher or lower blood pressure readings at the start of the study did not predict whether someone would develop dementia. The results were consistent across different ages, sexes, and racial groups.
How can I apply this information?
This study suggests that controlling high blood pressure with medication may help lower the risk of dementia in older adults. People with untreated high blood pressure were significantly more likely to develop dementia, while those who took blood pressure medication did not have an increased risk.
If you have high blood pressure, it is important to talk to your doctor about managing it properly. Taking medication as prescribed and following a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and limiting salt intake, may not only protect your heart but also help preserve brain health.
Since this study is research, more studies are needed to confirm how blood pressure treatment directly affects brain health over time. However, the findings support the importance of treating high blood pressure to reduce dementia risk in older adults.
Source:
Lennon MJ, Lam BC, Lipnicki DM, Crawford JD, Peters R, Schutte AE, Brodaty H, Thalamuthu A, Rydberg-Sterner T, Najar J, Skoog I. Use of antihypertensives, blood pressure, and estimated risk of dementia in late life: an individual participant data meta-analysis. JAMA network open. 2023 Sep 5;6(9):e2333353-. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37698858/
