Study: Lowering blood pressure helps prevent mental decline

CHICAGO – Lowering blood pressure more than usual not only helps prevent heart problems, but also reduces the risk of mental decline that often leads to Alzheimer's disease, finds a major study .

was clearly shown to help prevent a dreaded condition that had people trying crosswords, dietary supplements and a host of other things in the hope of keeping their minds alive.

In the study, people have 120 instead of 140 were 19% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. They also had fewer signs of damage to brain scans, and there was a possible trend towards fewer cases of dementia.

"This is a big breakthrough," said Dr. Jeff Williamson of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina. "It's more important than ever to work with your doctor to ensure you have good control over your blood pressure."

He led the study and gave results on Wednesday at the International Alzheimer's & Conference Association in Chicago. They are considered preliminary until their publication, expected later this year.

Independent experts cheered the news.

"We have long known that high blood pressure is bad for your heart, but we also learn that it is bad for your brain health," said James Hendrix, director of global scientific initiatives at The Alzheimer Association

THE BRAIN-ARTERIAL BRAIN

About 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and Alzheimer's disease is the most common type There is no cure – current medications such as Aricept and Namenda simply relieve symptoms – prevention is essential

About half of adults in the United States suffer from high blood pressure according to the guidelines adopted last year of 130 or more, rather than 140. Normal is less than 120.

High pressure can damage blood vessels and has long been badociated with increased risk However, it is unclear whether lowering the pressure would reduce this risk or by how much. The federally funded study was designed to test this in the most rigorous way.

ABOUT THE STUDY

This involved more than 9,300 people under heavy pressure. Half of them received two medications, on average, to get their best score below 140. The rest received three medications, on average, and aimed at 120. During the study, the average pressure was 121 in the intensive treatment group and 135 in the other.

The study was stopped in 2015, almost two years earlier, when it became clear that a lower pressure was helping to prevent heart problems and deaths. But tests of cognitive abilities continued for another two years, and these new findings were revealed Wednesday

Researchers saw a 19 percent lower risk of mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, in the intensive-treatment group – 285 cases against 348 in the upper pressure group. Nearly half of people with MCI develop dementia over the next five years.

"It is really more important to prevent MCI than dementia, it's like preventing hypercholesterolemia rather than heart attack." There was also less case of dementia in the intensive treatment group, but there was too little to say that low blood pressure was the reason. Dementia takes longer than mild impairment, doctors think the difference can widen over time.

MRI examinations of 454 participants showed that those in the lower pressure group had fewer white matter lesions – scars or lesions "This corresponds" to other findings on thinking skills and reinforces the evidence that Lowering blood pressure helps, says Laurie Ryan, a dementia scientist at the National Institute on Aging.

HOW LOW TO GO?

Previous results of this study led to change last fall's guidelines, establishing a high pressure at 130. Some doctors criticized this as too aggressive, but the new findings, showing benefits for the brain, and maybe even extend the guidelines, "said Williamson." The goal of less than 130 is extremely important. "

The study did not test the drugs Instead, each participant's physician chose those who were available among more than a dozen.

When heart outcomes were announced a few years ago, doctors have said that too low pressure, fainting and kidney problems commonly in the intensively treated group, but that these risks were found to be worth the benefits of a lower risk of heart problems and

Reaching the lower level means using one more drug, and "90 percent of them are generic and cost less than a dollar a day," said Williamson. "For a modest cost, it has a huge benefit for people's health."

——

Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Department of Science Education of the Medical Institute. The AP is solely responsible for all content.