Taking care of your blood pressure is not just about protecting your heart—it’s also important for keeping your brain healthy, especially as you get older.
Studies have shown a strong connection between high blood pressure and a greater risk of developing dementia. Dementia is a term used to describe serious problems with memory, thinking, and social abilities that make it hard to live a normal life.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is already known to raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But now researchers are paying more attention to how it affects the brain. They’ve found that having high blood pressure in middle age makes it more likely that you’ll have memory problems or trouble thinking clearly later in life.
That’s a big concern, especially since more than a billion people around the world have high blood pressure—and many of them don’t even know it. If left untreated, it can quietly damage the brain’s blood vessels over time, reducing blood flow.
When the brain doesn’t get enough blood, it doesn’t work as well. You may start to have trouble remembering things or concentrating. In some cases, this can lead to dementia.
One important study called the SPRINT trial looked at how lowering blood pressure might protect the brain. It included thousands of people and found that lowering the top number (systolic pressure) to below 120 mmHg helped reduce the chances of developing mild cognitive impairment, or MCI.
MCI is a condition that often comes before dementia. These findings suggest that managing blood pressure more carefully might help delay or prevent cognitive decline.
Other studies have looked at how high blood pressure changes the brain’s structure. People with hypertension often have more white matter lesions—damaged areas in the brain that are common in dementia. They may also have more brain shrinkage, which is another sign of cognitive decline.
Scientists still don’t know exactly how high blood pressure causes these problems. One idea is that it might prevent the brain from clearing out harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia.
What we do know is that the earlier you take control of your blood pressure, the better. Experts recommend checking your blood pressure regularly, even when you’re young. If it’s high, you can often manage it with a combination of lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication.
Healthy habits like eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, avoiding too much alcohol, quitting smoking, and keeping a healthy weight all help lower blood pressure. If needed, your doctor can also prescribe medicine to help.
The best part? Lowering your blood pressure doesn’t just protect your heart—it can also help protect your brain. It’s a win-win for your overall health.
If you’re worried about your blood pressure or your memory, talk to your doctor. Together, you can make a plan to keep your blood pressure in check and support a healthy brain as you age.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Common drug for constipation is linked to higher dementia risk and findings of Scientists find link between heartburn drugs and increased dementia risk.
For more about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a drug related to Viagra may help treat vascular dementia and findings of link between body inflammation and dementia risk.
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