In the most recent online issue of Lancet Neurology, researchers reported that lowering blood pressure in the elderly might reduce the risk for dementia.

Results from the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial cognitive function assessment (HYVET-COG) showed that treatment with antihypertensive drugs led to a 13% reduction in the risk of dementia for individuals who were 80 years of age or older. The researchers evaluated 3336 participants who were at least 80 years old who had high blood pressure, but no evidence of dementia. The participants were randomly divided into two groups - one group was treated with blood pressure medications with the goal of reducing blood pressure to 150/80 mm Hg, and the other group was treated with placebo pills. After two years, the group receiving blood pressure medications had a lower average blood pressure and a lower risk of dementia, although the reduction in risk was not statistically significant.

Observational studies have linked high blood pressure to an increased risk for dementia, but the effects of blood pressure control on dementia risk in controlled clinical trials have been variable. This study seems to support a reduction in dementia with blood pressure control, though the results did not reach statistical significance. Nevertheless, treating hypertension in elderly patients has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke and death, so blood pressure control is still an important part of health management.