Large study looks for signs of dementia
According to ABC News, the study was one of the largest brain autopsies done, with 774 brains examined for signs of neurological problems.
“What we’re seeing is another advantage of treating hypertension,” says White, of the Pacific Health Research and Education Institute in Honolulu. “It reduces heart disease and stroke, but we’re saying it looks like it can also reduce all kinds of dementia.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 1 in 3 U.S. adults, an estimated 68 million, have high blood pressure. About half of them have it under control.
While beta-blockers showed the most success, these kinds of medications aren’t the first line of defense to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure. These medications are known for side effects and can interact with medications used to treat other conditions.
More research needed
At this point, researchers aren’t sure why blood pressure medications prevent dementia. More research is needed to find the connection.
“This study raises more questions than it answers, but nevertheless it calls for randomized trials to test these associations between beta blockers and their protection against dementia,” Sripal Bangalore, a cardiologist and assistant professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York told USA Today.
“The timing of this study is interesting because new guidelines to treat hypertension are expected to come out this spring.”
The findings are being presented in March at the American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting.
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