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Addressing high blood pressure could lower one's risk of developing cognitive impairment by 16 per cent and dementia by 15 per cent over the following four years, according to clinical trial results published in the journal Nature Medicine . Cognitive decline usually precedes dementia, an ageing-related condition that steadily impairs one's speech, memory and language. The phase 3 clinical trial involved nearly 34,000 patients aged over 40 in rural China.
People in 163 villages were provided hypertension treatment through medicines and lifestyle changes, while people in other 163 villages continued their usual care. Researchers, including those at The University of Texas, U.S.
, found that over a follow-up period of four years, systolic blood pressure fell by 22 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 9.3 mm Hg, among the people treated for hypertension. Further, at the end of the four-year follow-up, "anti-hypertensive treatment was associated with a 15 per cent reduction in dementia events," the authors wrote.
Dementia: prevention and management Dementia cases around the world are expected to triple over the coming decades, with low- and middle-income countries projected to bear a disproportionate burden. Blood pressure is known to be a risk factor for developing dementia . A study, published in the journal Neurology in January, showed that an aggressive control of blood pressure for over three years can provide sustained benefits in preventing cognitive decline.
Future directions for health research However, the research team said that few trials have looked at whether treating blood pressure through medicines could impact one's risk of dementia. Reacting to the study, Julia Dudley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research U.K.
, said, "This large trial of over 33,000 people in rural China provides further evidence that addressing high blood pressure could be one way to reduce dementia risk." The study is consistent with a Lancet Commission report, released in August 2024, that newly added 'high cholesterol' to a list of risk factors for dementia, added Ms. Dudley, not involved with the study.
The list now consists of 14 risk factors, all of which together account for nearly half of the world's dementia cases. However, "while the results from this trial are reassuring, further studies are needed to understand how other risk factors like genetics interact with factors like high blood pressure to influence dementia risk," Ms. Dudley said.
The researcher added, "It will also be interesting to see whether interventions trialled in this study can work in other populations across the world." Published - April 22, 2025 04:17 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit health / Blood pressure / Hypertension.
