Lower Blood Pressure Found to Lower Dementia Risk

By Patricia Salber MD, MBA (@docweighsin)

A new study shows that aggressively treating blood pressure to a target of 120 mmHg was associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia compared to a group treated to a target of 140 mmHg or less.

Preliminary research results presented on July 25 at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AIC) in Chicago suggests that aggressive blood pressure control may lower the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often described as the precursor to Alzheimer’s dementia, as well as the combined risk of MCI and all-cause dementia. This is great news for a field that has been plagued by a number of high profile drug failures that have left some in the Alzheimer’s community discouraged and others questioning whether they really understand the etiology of the disease.

The SPRINT MIND study

The SPRINT MIND study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is a part of a well-designed series of studies known as the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) Study. It includes data from 9,361 adults aged 50 or older with systolic blood pressures (SBP) of 130 mm Hg or higher and at least one other cardiovascular risk factor. People with diabetes, prior stroke, or…