A recent study from Beijing Anzhen Hospital and several other institutions has found that the longer a person’s blood pressure levels remain under control, the lower their risk may be for developing dementia.
The study’s findings suggest that good heart and brain health are best achieved by keeping systolic blood pressure (the upper number) consistently under control, compared to having levels that vary, even if the average falls within the target range.
This is especially important as nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
Of those, only about one in five have their condition under control, which can be managed through regular exercise and a healthy diet, as well as medication if needed.
Previous studies have linked uncontrolled high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, to a greater risk for dementia and cognitive decline.
However, whether a person’s blood pressure is considered under control is often defined by the most current measurement, despite the fact that blood pressure levels can fluctuate over time, even throughout the day.
The current study aimed to examine the link between the length of time systolic blood pressure levels remains in range and the risk of cognitive decline or dementia.
The researchers analyzed data for 8,415 people in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), which compared intensive treatment to standard treatment of systolic blood pressure among people with hypertension.
The target range for intensive control was defined as 110 to 130 mmHg, while the standard control target range was defined as 120 to 140 mmHg.
Normal blood pressure is defined as a systolic reading of less than 120 and a diastolic reading (the bottom number) of less than 80.
Blood pressure was measured at the beginning of the study and once a month for the first three months of follow-up.
Participants, who had an average age of 68 years old, were free of cognitive decline or dementia at the start of the study.
During a follow-up period of five years, the researchers found that people whose systolic blood pressure levels remained in the target range for longer periods were less likely to be diagnosed with probable dementia.
They found that each 31.5% increase in time in the target range was associated with a 16% lower risk of developing dementia.
This study clarifies that the length of time blood pressure is kept under control has an incremental value beyond mean systolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure variability.
The researchers recommend tracking how long blood pressure is kept under control as a potential method for healthcare providers to identify patients who are at a higher risk of developing dementia.
The study was conducted by Sitong Li and colleagues and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and people with severe high blood pressure should reduce coffee intake.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline.
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