Lowering blood pressure could cut risk factor for dementia

Tight control of your blood pressure won't necessarily spare you from full-blown dementia, a new trial concludes.

But it might lower the risk of slight declines in thinking and memory, a condition known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the researchers added.

The clinical trial is the "first study in history to show that any intervention can reduce your risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, an early form of dementia," said lead researcher Dr. Jeff Williamson. He is a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"What is good for your heart in terms of blood pressure-lowering is also good for your brain," Williamson added. He noted that the trial ended early, which likely affected the dementia result. "We just didn't have enough dementia cases develop over time" in the group with less-restricted blood pressure, he explained.

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