Hypertension or high blood pressure is known for causing heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. But a new study published in the latest edition of the American Heart Association has warned that high blood pressure can trigger vascular dementia too.
Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia (after Alzheimer’s disease) with symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. In vascular dementia, these symptoms occur when the brain is damaged because of problems with the supply of blood to the brain.
Researchers from the George Institute for Global Health (GIGH) after analysis of health records of more than four million people found heightened blood pressure was associated with a 62 per cent higher risk of vascular dementia between the ages of 30-50. Around seven lakh people in India are affected with the vascular dementia which is
caused by reduced blood supply to the brain due to diseased blood vessels.
lead author of the study, Professor Kazem Rahimi from GIGH, said, “Vascular dementia rates are increasing all over the world and will pose a significant economic and social burden in both developed and developing countries. So these results are particularly important.”
“We already know that high blood pressure can raise the risk of stroke and heart attack,” added Dr Vivekanand Jha from the Institute. “What makes this study significant is that, for the first time it has shown that high blood pressure is also associated with a significantly higher risk of vascular dementia,” he added.
Professor Rahimi, from the Institute, said, “Our results suggest that lowering blood pressure, either by exercise, diet or blood pressure lowering drugs, could reduce the risk of vascular dementia.”
The study also found that high blood pressure was still a risk factor even after adjusting for the presence of stroke, the leading cause of vascular dementia.
The study was supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, the NIHR Career Development Fellowship, the Rhodes Trust, the Australian Health and Medical Research Council, the Oxford Martin School, the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Council, the Dunhill Medical Trust and the Stroke Association.