BP treatment could lower dementia risk

Addressing high blood pressure (BP) could lower one's risk of developing cognitive impairment by 16 per cent and dementia by 15 per cent over the following four years, according to clinical trial results published in the journal ‘Nature Medicine’.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Cognitive decline usually precedes dementia, an age-ing-related condition that steadily impairs one's speech, memory and language.

The phase 3 clinical trial in-volved nearly 34,000 patients aged over 40 in rural China. People in 163 villages were provided hypertension treat-ment through medicines and lifestyle changes, while people in other 163 villages continued their usual care.

Researchers, including those at The University of Texas, US, found that over a follow-up period of four years, systolic blood pressure fell by 22 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 9.3 mm Hg, among the people treated for hypertension.