Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Memory Problems in Middle Age are Linked to High
Blood Pressure by New Research
Older adults with high diastolic blood pressure,
the bottom number, were more likely to have cognitive impairment
Aug. 24, 2009 If you are having memory problems
and you are over age 45, the problem may be the results of high blood
pressure, according to a new study to be published tomorrow in
Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study found that people with high diastolic
blood pressure, which is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading,
were more likely to have cognitive impairment, or problems with their
memory and thinking skills, than people with normal diastolic readings.
For every 10 point increase in the reading, the
odds of a person having cognitive problems was seven percent higher.
The results were valid after adjusting for other
factors that could affect cognitive abilities, such as age, smoking
status, exercise level, education, diabetes or high cholesterol.
The study involved nearly 20,000 people age 45 and
older across the country who participated in the Reasons for Geographic
And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study and had never had a
stroke or mini-stroke.
A total of 1,505 of the participants, or 7.6
percent, had cognitive problems, and 9,844, or 49.6 percent, were taking
medication for high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is defined as a reading equal
to or higher than 140/90 or taking medication for high blood pressure.
"It's possible that by preventing or treating high
blood pressure, we could potentially prevent cognitive impairment, which
can be a precursor to dementia," said study author Georgios Tsivgoulis,
MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a member of the
American Academy of Neurology.
Research has shown that high diastolic blood
pressure leads to weakening of small arteries in the brain, which can
result in the development of small areas of brain damage.
Tsivgoulis said more research is needed to confirm
the relationship between high blood pressure and cognitive impairment.
The study was supported by the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
"The REGARDS study is one of the largest
population-based studies of risk factors for stroke. These latest data
suggest that higher blood pressure may be a risk factor for cognitive
decline, but further studies will be necessary to understand the
cause-effect relationship," said Walter J. Koroshetz, MD, deputy
director of NINDS and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
"The National Institutes of Health is now
organizing a large clinical trial to evaluate whether aggressive blood
pressure lowering can decrease a number of important health outcomes
including cognitive decline."
The American Academy of Neurology says it is an
association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals dedicated to promoting the highest quality
patient-centered neurologic care through education and research. A
neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing,
treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as
epilepsy, dystonia, migraine, Huntington's disease, and dementia.
For more information about the American Academy of
Neurology, visit
www.aan.com or
www.thebrainmatters.org.
About High Blood Pressure
Also called: HBP, HTN, Hypertension
Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing
against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps
out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your
heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When
your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is
the diastolic pressure.
Your blood pressure reading uses these two numbers,
the systolic and diastolic pressures. Usually they are written one above
or before the other. A reading of
> 120/80 or lower is normal blood pressure
> 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure
> 120 and 139 for the top number, or between
80 and 89 for the bottom number is prehypertension
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but it
can cause serious problems such as
stroke,
heart failure,
heart attack and
kidney failure. You can control high blood pressure through healthy
lifestyle habits and taking
medicines, if needed.
●
More at National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
An analysis of data from two natonal health
studies shows that more U.S. adults have hypertension than ever before.
The percent of those aware of, being treated for and having the
disorder under control has increased and as a result more people are
living with rather than dying from hypertension.
Researchers say the nations obesity epidemic is a major factor for
the increase in hypertension prevalence.
●
More Helpful Information at the American Heart Association
High Blood Pressure in Senior Citizens
For older people, the first number (systolic) often
is 140 or greater, but the second number (diastolic) is less than 90.
This problem is called isolated systolic hypertension. Isolated systolic
hypertension is the most common form of high blood pressure in older
people, and it can lead to serious health problems. It is treated in the
same way as regular high blood pressure. If your systolic pressure is
140 or higher, ask your doctor how you can lower it.
Some Risks You Cant Change
Anyone can get high blood pressure. But some people
have a greater chance of having it because of things they cant change.
These are:
Age. The chance of having high blood
pressure increases as you get older.
Gender. Before age 55, men have a greater
chance of having high blood pressure. Women are more likely to have high
blood pressure after menopause.
Family history. High blood pressure tends to
run in some families.
Race. African-Americans are at increased
risk for high blood pressure.
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Click for more at NIA
