High Blood Pressure May Influence Dementia Risk

A groundbreaking new study has identified a compelling connection between hypertension and brain health, showing that rigorous control of high blood pressure can significantly reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.

Conducted by researchers at the First Hospital of China Medical University, the large-scale randomized trial involved 33,995 adults aged 40 and above from rural China — all of whom had uncontrolled hypertension.

Participants were divided into two groups: one received standard medical care, while the other was managed by trained non-physician community healthcare providers. These healthcare workers prescribed tailored antihypertensive treatments to help participants achieve a systolic blood pressure below 130 mm Hg and a diastolic reading under 80 mm Hg.

According to findings published in Nature Medicine, those receiving intensive intervention saw a 15% reduction in the risk of all-cause dementia and a 16% decrease in cognitive impairment, compared to the usual care group. The study also noted a lower incidence of serious adverse events among the intervention group.

“This was among the first large-scale effectiveness trials to demonstrate a significant reduction in dementia risk linked to blood pressure management,” the researchers highlighted.

Although the study lacked baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments, its implications are significant. Commenting on the results, Dr. Bradley Serwer, an interventional cardiologist and Chief Medical Officer at VitalSolution, called it “an intriguing approach to addressing dementia in individuals with uncontrolled hypertension.”

Dr. Serwer emphasized the novelty of using non-physician personnel in rural areas to achieve measurable clinical outcomes. “While limitations exist, the research provokes important questions about how modifying cardiovascular risk factors may influence dementia onset,” he said.

The primary medications used in the trial — calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers — have themselves been independently linked to reduced dementia risk. Dr. Serwer pointed out that this raises the possibility that the observed benefits may stem not only from blood pressure control but also from the broader effects of these drugs.

To further validate these findings, Dr. Serwer suggested incorporating cognitive testing at baseline and during follow-up phases, and studying the prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia in the communities involved.

Ultimately, he noted, “The most significant takeaway from this study is the importance of managing blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, and lifestyle habits — not only to prevent heart disease and stroke but to enhance long-term cognitive health and overall quality of life.”

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the Chinese Society of Cardiology Foundation, and the Liaoning Province Science and Technology Program.