A study has found a link between high blood pressure and the development of Alzheimer's disease.

A study suggests that high blood pressure may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Untreated high blood pressure in individuals aged 60 and above may increase their likelihood of developing common dementia, according to a study published in Neurology.

The American Academy of Neurology stated in a press release that while the results don't definitively prove that untreated high blood pressure causes the disease, they do indicate a correlation.

High blood pressure, although a leading cause of stroke and cerebrovascular disease, can be controlled with medication, thereby reducing a person's risk of these diseases, according to Matthew J. Lennon, M.D., PhD, of the University of New South Wales in Australia.

Lennon states that while previous research has shown that blood pressure medications can decrease the risk of dementia, there is less known about their impact on Alzheimer's risk.

He stated that our meta-analysis revealed that not managing blood pressure in older individuals could increase their risk.

Over a period of time, researchers studied the cognitive changes and dementia diagnoses of 31,250 individuals, with an average age of 72 years, through various studies, the release stated.

After four years, 1,415 of those individuals developed Alzheimer’s disease.

The study found that individuals with untreated high blood pressure had a 36% higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to those without the condition.

Those without blood pressure medication had a 42% higher risk compared to those with high blood pressure who were taking medication.

According to Lennon, the relationship between age and the risk of AD is not affected by increasing age, meaning that individuals in their 70s and 80s are still at a significantly lower risk of AD if hypertension is managed.

He emphasized that managing high blood pressure as people age is still vital in lowering their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

No significant differences in blood pressure or medication use effects were found among different sexes or racial groups, according to research.

Lennon observed that this promising result implies that optimal care for one group will be comparable to others.

"Treating high blood pressure as a person ages continues to be a crucial factor in reducing their risk of Alzheimer’s disease."

In a conversation with Planet Chronicle Digital, Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and Planet Chronicle senior medical analyst, responded to these findings.

The study revealed that Alzheimer's disease is associated with "neuroinflammation and the formation of plaques, which disrupt neuronal communication," according to Siegel, who was not part of the research.

The frontal lobe of the brain is particularly vulnerable to the effects of high blood pressure, which can impede oxygen and blood flow to nerve cells in this area.

Dr. Elizabeth Landsverk, a geriatric medicine physician and author in California, stated that she was not surprised by the study's findings, even though she was not involved in the research.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, high glucose levels, obesity, smoking, and alcohol use are known to increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and vascular dementia, as she stated on Planet Chronicle Digital.

"The research indicates that individuals who receive treatment for hypertension have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (amyloid proteins accumulating in the brain)."

Potential study limitations

Lennon pointed out that the researchers used data from 14 longitudinal studies worldwide, which may result in variability in defining dementia and high blood pressure.

The researcher informed Planet Chronicle Digital that most of the studies did not provide mortality data, which prevented their analysis from considering the competing risks of dementia and death.

Lennon noted that factors such as socioeconomic status, health literacy, access to medications, poorly managed medical conditions, and depression and other mental illnesses could complicate the relationship between hypertension status and dementia risk.

Landsverk pointed out that since the study spans a considerable duration, numerous external factors can affect the outcomes, reducing its reliability.

Lennon pointed out that hypertension is a widespread condition, affecting approximately two-thirds of individuals over the age of 65 and about 1.3 billion people globally.

Lennon stated that in most cases, it is asymptomatic and only causes symptoms during a heart attack, stroke, or dementia.

He pointed out that only 28% of those with high blood pressure have it under adequate control.

Lennon emphasized the importance of controlling high blood pressure, stating that while immediate consequences may not be noticeable, doing so can increase the likelihood of a longer, happier, and healthier life.

The fastest way to decrease risk factors for those who are obese is by losing weight, according to Landsverk.

She advised that the healthiest approach to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease by as much as 40% is to adopt a plant-based diet and exercise for 30 minutes each day.