Blood pressure pills and statins may slash risk

ONE of the most important studies on dementia suggests lowering blood pressure drastically reduces the risk of the brain disease.

The Sprint Mind study found people with a history of hypertension – persistently high blood pressure – who brought down their readings ‘significantly’ reduced the risk of dementia or cognitive decline over four years.

Hypertension is incredibly common: one in three men, and one in four women suffer with it. But millions go undiagnosed as it causes few, if any, symptoms. And a third of patients who are diagnosed don’t manage to get their blood pressure down, even with medical advice.

Age, genetics – high blood pressure runs in families – being overweight, smoking and drinking too much and long-term sleep problems all raise the risk of hypertension. Those of African and Caribbean heritage are more at risk, and it is also common in people with diabetes and kidney disease.

The damage from high blood pressure accumulates over time, so start to monitor it in mid-life, experts say.

Jonathan Schott, professor of neurology at University College London and chief medical officer at Alzheimer’s Research UK, adds: ‘Our evidence shows rising blood pressure from your mid-30s affects your brain health in your 70s.’

Cholesterol-lowering statins, taken by up to eight million people in the UK to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, may protect against dementia, studies suggest, but the evidence is mixed.

Professor John Gallacher, the director of Dementias Platform UK at Oxford University, says: ‘It’s not unreasonable to hope there’s a benefit in terms of dementia risk.

‘But can you prescribe them for dementia? At the moment, based on this evidence, I don’t think you can.’