Researchers from Wake Forest University in the US studied 9,361 participants aged 50 and older from the US and Puerto Rico. Over a typical follow-up period of seven years, cognitive tests were conducted in person and via telephone. Participants were then classified as having no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or probable dementia.
“We found that the intensive treatment group had a consistently lower incidence of developing cognitive impairment than the standard treatment group,” said corresponding author David M. Reboussin, professor of biostatistics and data science at Wake Forest University's School of Medicine. Previous studies have found that people with high blood pressure have a higher risk of cognitive decline and therefore, controlling blood pressure may be a strategy to prevent neurological conditions.
“Our study demonstrates that intensive blood pressure control is an important strategy in the prevention of cognitive impairment, a major cause of loss of independence in older adults,” said author Jeff Williamson, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University's School of Medicine. The reason is.”
“Lowering your blood pressure to more aggressive goals can improve quality of life and extend active living for individuals with high blood pressure,” Williamson said. “In ambulatory adults with hypertension and high cardiovascular risk, intensive treatment compared with standard treatment (systolic blood pressure) for up to 3.3 years resulted in a reduced risk of MCI and cognitive impairment, including MCI or possible dementia,” the authors wrote. But not for potential dementia alone.”
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