THE ESSENTIAL
- Arterial hypertension affects one in three adults in France, according to Inserm (less than 10% of 18-34 year olds and more than 65% following 65). It is the number one cause of preventable stroke.
- In some, this disease is silent: the patient may not experience any symptoms. In France, only one in two people would be aware of their high blood pressure, according to Inserm.
- However, if this pathology is not taken care of, it can be a risk factor for many health problems (cardiovascular, neurodegenerative problems or even diabetes).
Among the many health consequences of high blood pressure, researchers at the University of Michigan have identified a new problem. People with hypertension may also experience a faster deterioration in cognitive abilities (thinking ability, decision making, memory) compared to those with normal blood pressure.
The team carried out a “study of studies” on the link between high blood pressure and declining brain function over a long period of time. They collated and analyzed data sets collected by six previous large studies, involving a total of more than 24,500 individuals. The results of this study were published on September 27, 2022 in the Journal of Alzheimer s Disease.
Blood pressure: maintaining a healthy level seems to preserve thinking skills
Initially, scientists sought to understand why Hispanic Americans have a 50% higher risk of developing dementia later in life compared to Caucasian Americans. The study authors speculated that this difference was due to them having less control over their blood pressure levels. They ultimately conclude that several factors are at play to explain why Hispanics are generally at higher risk of dementia, which they have not yet clearly identified.
However, their results clearly show that blood pressure is related to cognitive outcomes later in life in the general US population. Maintaining a healthy level of blood pressure appears to preserve thinking skills, according to the study authors. Hence the importance of quickly diagnosing and treating hypertension.
Cognitive decline: Taking blood pressure medication slows his pace
“Our results suggest that high blood pressure leads to more rapid cognitive decline and that taking blood pressure medications slows the rate of this decline”says study lead author Deborah Levine, MD, MPH, director of the University of Michigan’s Cognitive Health Services Research Program, in a communiqué.
After this publication, the research team now focuses its attention on the study of cognitive deterioration caused by cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). Having a stroke multiplies the risk of dementia by 50. But modern medicine has not yet grasped the influence of other factors such as blood pressure and blood sugar on the risk of post-stroke dementia.
