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Reduce risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by keeping an eye on blood pressure, study says
Neurology researchers have found a connection between blood pressure, or hypertension, and the onset of Alzheimers disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. They concluded that treating hypertension during later life is crucial in minimizing the risk of developing Alzheimers.
Elsewhere, scientists claim to have effectively reversed and repaired the damage done by Alzheimers to the brains of laboratory mice. Younger readers may find it useful to know that researchers recently discovered a genetic variant that appears to protect people who are genetically predisposed to developing early-onset Alzheimers disease.
Treating high blood pressure is crucial to mitigating risk of Alzheimers disease
There is good evidence that having high blood pressure during midlife increases the risk of vascular dementia, reads the paper, published in the academic journal Neurology on August 14, 2024.
Meanwhile, for Alzheimer’s dementia, midlife hypertension increases the risk of developing the condition by up to 25%.
However, having hypertension in later life doesnt seem to have an impact on the chances someone will develop Alzheimers disease, according to the studys literature review.
Nevertheless, the authors found that medicating hypertension (with antihypertensives such as Thiazide, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers) decreased the risk that someone would develop Alzheimers disease. The study doesnt actually mention any of these medications by name but uses “antihypertensive” as a catch-all for medications that treat high blood pressure.
Treating hypertension throughout late life, they concluded, continues to be crucial in Alzheimer’s disease risk mitigation.
How to prevent hypertension through lifestyle changes
High blood pressure affects nearly 1.3 billion people around the world, according to the World Health Organization. Two-thirds of those live in low- and middle-income countries.
Nearly half of adults with hypertension dont know they have it, and just 1 in 5 adults with hypertension have it under control.
Youre more likely to have high blood pressure as you get older. Genetics also play a role, but there are several lifestyle changes you can make (or habits you can maintain) in order to minimize your risk of having hypertension. They include:
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Being physically active regularly
- Avoiding a high-salt diet
- Not drinking too much alcohol
The CDC adds that having enough sleep helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
- THE GOOD NEWS: New test that can predict dementia 12 years before diagnosis
