New research shows that increased blood pressure at any age can accelerate cognitive decline, which accordinglyleads to dementia. Scientists have found that effective treatment of high blood pressure can reduce or even prevent this acceleration. Overall, the results suggest that hypertension needs to be effectively treated in adults of all ages to preserve cognitive function.
How increased blood pressure affects cognitive function
The researchers claim thatAdults with uncontrolled hypertensionoften experienced a more rapid decline in memory and cognitive function. In addition to other proven benefits of blood pressure control, the study results highlight the importance of diagnosis and control in patients of all ages. Hence the need to maintain blood pressure throughout life. Even prehypertension levels were linked to cognitive decline, the study authors said. The average age of the participants at the start of the study was 59 years. Participants were followed for 4 years and tested for memory, executive function, and verbal language skills. The researchers found that high blood pressure without the use of medication was associated with a faster decline in cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults.
The team also found that cognitive decline occurred regardless of the duration of hypertension. So this suggests that even a short duration of high blood pressure can affect a person's cognitive function. It doesn't take that long for the impact to be felt. Therefore, early detection and treatment is crucial. This study is the latest in a series of research examining the connection between vascular health and brain function. So there is strong evidence that high blood pressure is linked to brain health. Hypertension is typically the number one risk factor for stroke. This contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
There are over 10 classes of antihypertensive medications to choose from and many that are very well tolerated. In most cases, only one of these is needed with additional lifestyle changes. In addition to medication, there are many lifestyle recommendations such as healthy eating, regular exercise, limiting sitting time, regular sleep and treatment of sleep apnea, weight loss and smoking cessation, the authors saidof the study.
