The link between high blood pressure and dementia has been known for some time. Two recent research reports reinforce this existing knowledge.

One study set out to determine the effects of intensively lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mm Hg on the heart, kidney, and brain in hypertensive older adults who did not have diabetes or stroke; the present report deals with a sub-study focused on brain health, and showed that aggressive treatment of hypertension to less than 120 mm Hg systolic blood pressure is not harmful to the brain, but beneficial.

The second study examined how blood pressure changes/patterns related to dementia risk over time. It was shown that the patterns consisting of midlife and late-life hypertension, and midlife hypertension and late-life hypotension, significantly increased risk of subsequent dementia as compared with people with normal blood pressure.

Here are three media articles about the reports:

Controlling blood pressure may help ward off dementia

Abnormal blood pressure in middle and late life influences dementia risk

Studies Tackle Blood Pressure, Cognition Relationship

Original research articles:

Association of Midlife to Late-Life Blood Pressure Patterns With Incident Dementia

Association of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control With Cerebral White Matter Lesions

Inspired by these reports, here is an article about lowering blood pressure:

Tips for lowering your blood pressure, which may reduce your risk of dementia

All links have been added to Alzheimer’s > Risk Factors.