Could High Blood Pressure Cause Alzheimer's?

Already responsible for heart attacks and strokes, experts now reveal our brains could also be at risk from hypertension

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Do you know your number? no, not your bra size or the amount of Facebook friends you have. we’re talking about your blood pressure. Knowing your stats is key for staying healthy. already strongly associated with heart disease and strokes, a 2018 study has potentially linked high blood pressure levels to dementia, and more specifically, Alzheimer's disease. Could cognitive decline be avoided by keeping an eye on blood pressure? we find out...

A GROWING PROBLEM

These studies are particularly concerning when looking at the 1,3 billion adults who suffer from raised blood pressure globally – most of whom aren’t even aware that they have the condition. According to The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa, a massive one in three South Africans have high blood pressure.

FINDING A LINK

Until quite recently, high blood pressure levels have been linked to the development of vascular dementia, which is caused by insufficient oxygen and nutrients reaching the brain due to blocked blood vessels and poor blood flow (often after a stroke). The devastating impact of this – where brain cells are damaged and eventually killed – is cognitive difficulty, impaired judgement and even memory loss.