Study shows link between hypertension and dementia in women, but not men

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A new study examining links between hypertension and dementia uncovered that women with high blood pressure may be at risk for dementia.

Scientists first set out to analyze the association between early-adulthood and mid-adulthood hypertension with dementia in men and women.

The results found that women with mid-adulthood hypertension showed a 65 percent increased risk for dementia.

The increased risk of people with hypertension only showed in women. In fact, no evidence was found that hypertension, or changes to high blood pressure for men, increased the risk for dementia despite its higher prevalence in men.

Therefore, gender differences in the timing of dementia risk factors demonstrate the importance of its implication to brain health and high blood pressure management.

While we still have a lot to learn about the origins of dementia, this study suggest that high blood pressure can play an early role in brain health. It may be that a healthy circulatory system is key to a healthy brain. As I’ve explored in other blog posts, living a healthy life could help prevent dementia in the latter stages of life. A healthy diet, for example, is linked to a healthier brain and a decreased likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia.

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