HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS EVEN RISKIER
Stroke and dementia are more likely to affect people with high blood pressure. Understand the links and learn what you can do to minimize your risk.
Many people with high blood pressure know that they could be at risk for stroke and heart attack. However, too many people, despite what they may know, still are not motivated by these facts to get their high blood pressure under control. Now a new risk of high blood pressure is emerging: the possible connection between uncontrolled blood pressure and dementia. Important new studies link high blood pressure, especially in midlife, to an increased risk for dementia later in life.
Scientists are working hard to learn more about this connection. In the meantime, don’t take unnecessary risks. Keep your blood pressure under control.
High blood pressure in middle age (45-65) can raise your risk for dementia and stroke later in life.
Over time, high blood pressure weakens arteries, leads to strokes, and other changes that can cause dementia later in life. Delicate blood vessels throughout the body become scarred, narrowed and diseased by high blood pressure. This affects the bloodstream’s ability to support brain cells as they age. High blood pressure also causes white matter disease and silent stroke, which increase a person’s risk of developing dementia.
Research shows that in the U.S., 1 in 8 adults have high blood pressure.
About 1 in 3 U.S. adults—or about 70 million people— have high blood pressure, but only about half (54%) of these people have it under control.
Preventing stroke and dementia is most effective if you start later in life when you are most at risk.
Start early! Preventing stroke and heart disease is more effective when started in midlife. Studies have found that controlling blood pressure may reduce your risk of dementia.
The only thing you can do to prevent stroke and dementia is to lower your blood pressure.
Although high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke, it can also lead to dementia in later life. There are other things you can do to control your risks:
Lower your cholesterol. Eat healthy and keep active
Exercise regularly and manage your weight
Find out whether daily low-dose aspirin is right for you
Some chronic medical conditions, like diabetes, can raise your risk of high blood pressure.
Managing your diabetes or pre-diabetes lowers your risk for heart disease and stroke – and in turn, your risk for dementia later in life.
Consuming too much salt can raise your blood pressure, leading to heart disease or stroke.
Many American diets contain too much sodium, which can lead to high levels of blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Taking care of your heart health has benefits for your brain, like decreasing your risk for stroke and dementia.
The heart and brain blood vessels are so closely linked that conditions, like high blood pressure, can affect both organs. Exercising and eating healthy helps you take care of your heart and brain as you age.
High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Reducing high cholesterol will lower your risk for developing a wide variety of serious health issues – including stroke, and heart disease.
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