Lowering your blood pressure is good for your health in loads of ways. People with healthy blood pressure levels are at far less risk of deadly cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart disease. But the decision to lower your blood pressure may also reduce your chances of getting dementia, suggests new research.
Talking about the study, Doctor Ruth Peters, an Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney, who was involved in the study said:“We found there was a significant effect of treatment in lowering the odds of dementia associated with a sustained reduction in blood pressure in this older population.
“Given population aging and the substantial costs of caring for people with dementia, even a small reduction could have a considerable global impact.
“Our study suggests that using readily available treatments to lower blood pressure is currently one of our ‘best bets’ to tackle this insidious disease.”
She added: “Our results imply a broadly linear relationship between blood pressure reduction and lower risk of dementia, regardless of which type of treatment was used.”
Dementia is a blanket term used to describe people who are unable to think, remember or make decisions to the point where it affects their daily life.
There are several types of dementia, including vascular dementia.
This is dementia caused by a reduction in the flow of blood to the brain due to a stroke.
READ MORE: The ‘first noticeable’ sign of cholesterol build-up can strike when you walk – how to spot
Having high blood pressure is known to massively increase your risk of having a stroke or other cardiovascular conditions. As a result, the risk of vascular dementia goes down.
The GP Doctor Jeff Foster told the health body Patient: “Prolonged high blood pressure causes damage to the inner lining of arteries which then allows plaques to form, furring up vessels and causing blockages – this is how people have heart attacks and strokes.
“High blood pressure can also weaken arteries causing risk of rupture. If this occurs in the brain, haemorrhagic stroke (a bleed into the brain) occurs.”
How to lower your blood pressure (with or without medication)
According to the NHS, a healthy blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.
There are many types of blood pressure medications that could be prescribed if you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure. These include diuretics, beta-blockers, alpha-blockers, and ACE inhibitors. But several lifestyle changes can also make a massive difference in your blood pressure levels.
Some ways that you can reduce your blood pressure include the following:
- Cutting back on salt
- Stop smoking
- Cutting back on alcohol
- Regular exercise
- Improving your sleep
The Mayo Clinic explains that regular physical activity can reduce your blood pressure by “about 5 to 8 mmHg”.
It said: “It’s important to keep exercising to keep blood pressure from rising again. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.”
For all the latest Health News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
