Prolonged high blood pressure in middle age linked to dementia and death

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-04-05 04:00

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Chinese scientists say having high blood pressure for a prolonged period in middle age is linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline, dementia and death. They looked at data for around 17,000 people in their 60s, and followed them for an average of eight years. They found those who had high blood pressure for a prolonged period were more likely to experience cognitive decline, develop dementia, or die during the follow-up period. Having prolonged high diastolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats, was linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline, dementia and death, the researchers add.