Current projections indicate a concerning rise in dementia cases across the United States, with estimates suggesting over 9 million Americans could be affected by 2030, increasing to nearly 12 million by 2040. As the population ages, mild cognitive impairment—a transitional state between normal cognitive aging and dementia—is also expected to increase. These cognitive challenges are closely linked to hypertension, which more than half of all Americans experience by the age of 50. Researchers have identified intensive blood pressure control as a potentially effective strategy to mitigate these risks.
A pivotal study conducted by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine highlights the long-term benefits of managing hypertension through intensive blood pressure control. The study found that such management can significantly reduce the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Hypertension, if left unaddressed, can inflict damage on cognitive functions over the years, regardless of age, leading to end-organ damage in the brain.
The SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) study, which incorporated 9,361 patients over the age of 50 in the United States and Puerto Rico, provided substantial insights into this issue. Participants were randomly assigned to a systolic blood pressure goal of either less than 120 mm Hg or less than 140 mm Hg. Findings from the study indicated that lowering systolic blood pressure effectively reduced the risk of dementia, although the study was stopped early, rendering the ultimate results regarding dementia inconclusive.
“Over a median of almost 7 years of follow-up, we observed that the previously reported statistically significant reduction in the rate of cognitive impairment (composite of [mild cognitive decline] or probable dementia) was maintained,”
Source: Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Elevated blood pressure poses risks beyond cardiovascular impairments if not managed appropriately. Doctors may initially recommend a low dose of medication to manage high blood pressure, but patients with hypertension often need to combine two or more drugs for effective control. Intensive blood pressure management not only addresses cardiovascular concerns but also plays a crucial role in safeguarding cognitive health.
José Morales, MD, a vascular neurologist and neurointerventional surgeon at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, emphasizes the individualized nature of hypertension management.
“It really depends patient to patient. Some patients are young and have poorly controlled blood pressure, which is likely causing subclinical damage that increases their later life risk of dementia. In general, the average person with hypertension is middle-aged and studies now implicate this age bracket with significant changes in our body that are a harbinger for future health,”
Source: José Morales, MD
Leave a Reply