The common condition is associated with a 36% higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease

A new study confirms the link between untreated high blood pressure and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease for adults 60 and older.

research, published Wednesday in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, is a review of 14 international studies involving 31,250 people.

The participants, who were 72 years old on average, were followed for about four years for cognitive changes and dementia diagnoses.

Of the contingent studied, 1,415 developed Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers found that participants with untreated high blood pressure had an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to people who were treated for high blood pressure and those without the chronic condition.

“High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and cerebrovascular disease, and yet it can be controlled with medication, reducing a person’s risk of these diseases,” said Dr. Matthew J. Lennon, a study author from the University of New South Wales in Australia. “Our meta-analysis looked at older people and found that not treating blood pressure can actually increase a person’s risk.”

Lennon and his team analyzed blood pressure measurements, hypertension diagnoses, and medication use among the participants—36% did not have high blood pressure, 51% were taking blood pressure medication, and 9% had high blood pressure. untreated blood.

The researchers found that participants with untreated high blood pressure had a 36% higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to people without high blood pressure and a 42% higher risk of Alzheimer’s than those who had their blood pressure treated. high blood pressure with medication.

The researchers stressed that their results do not prove that untreated high blood pressure causes Alzheimer’s disease, they only show an association.

“Our meta-analysis that included people from around the world found that taking blood pressure medication was associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease later in life,” Lennon said. “These results suggest that treating high blood pressure as a person ages continues to be a crucial factor in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”

Lennon’s team notes that a limitation of the research is that definitions of high blood pressure vary by country, a discrepancy that can lead to misdiagnosis.

However, these findings support previous research suggesting that high blood pressure in older adults can damage the brain. Autopsies in that study showed more signs of deterioration and hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of people with higher blood pressure than those with blood pressure closer to normal.

Experts say about 70% of Americans will develop high blood pressure at some point, but only 25% will get it under control.

About 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older have Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The new report comes on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration’s recent decision to approve two drugs shown to modestly slow Alzheimer’s, offering new options for patients in the early stages of the incurable, memory-destroying disease. and thinking skills.