American Heart Association says Dementia, Hypertension has Strong Connection

In a statement released on their website and AHA journal Hypertension, the American Heart Association (AHA) says that high blood pressure and brain diseases like Alzheimer’s have a strong connection. However, it does not show a clear causal connection between the two conditions. Rather, this study came from meta-analysis about how hypertension will impact illnesses such as dementia, vascular cognitive impairment, and stroke.

Dr. Costantino Iadecola, chair of the writing committee, said. “Many observational studies suggest treating hypertension may reduce the cognitive impact of high blood pressure, especially on vascular cognitive impairment. Observational studies are not designed to prove cause and effect, however.”

According to AHA, the primary causes of cognitive impairment are vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

This condition refers to a range of changes in brain function caused by impaired blood flow to the brain. Patients with dementia often have a combination of vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.

AHA appealed for a more intensive study about the possible connection between hypertension and brain disease. Scientists found it challenging because of the time difference when a patient has high blood pressure and when cognitive issues appear.

This long-term studies would examine more to protect and treat at-risk patients before their illness gets worst. They expressed that this would be an ideal medication for patients with blood pressure diseases.

Iadecola also sits as director of the Brain and Mind Research Institute at Well Cornell Medicine released another statement. It said, “We know treating high blood pressure reduces the risk of heart diseases such as heart attacks, congestive heart failure and stroke, and it is important to continue treating it to reduce the risks of these diseases,”

“However, we need randomized controlled studies— which do prove cause and effect— to determine if treating high blood pressure, especially in middle age, will also decrease the risk of cognitive impairment later in life.”

The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), ended recruitment for one such long-term study. They call it the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial: Memory and Cognition in Decreased Hypertension (SPRINT-MIND), says the NIH website.

“The SPRINT-MIND trial is a new study designed to evaluate the role of treating high blood pressure relative to cognitive impairment. It may provide answers to some of the outstanding questions about treating high blood pressure relative to reducing the risk of cognitive impairment,” Iadecola added.

Global increase of Dementia cases

Approximately 30 to 40 million people worldwide have Dementia disease. This number is expected to triple in the year 2050 due to the aging population. By that time, estimated treatment would exceed $1.1 trillion.

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