Latest News | Blood Pressure Changes Linked to Increased Risk of Cognitive Problems, Study Finds

New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) A fluctuating blood pressure in adults aged 65 years or above could increase chances of problems with thinking and memory, a study has found.

Researchers from Rush University, US, found that individuals whose blood pressure varied the most had lower cognitive scores, compared to those showing the least changes. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a known risk factor for cognitive function.

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"With our ageing society and the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, identifying prevention strategies to slow the decline of cognitive skills in older adults has become a public health priority," Anisa Dhana, from Rush University and an author of the study published in the journal Neurology, said.

"Managing blood pressure and its fluctuations is emerging as an essential risk factor that can be modified," Dhana said.

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The researchers looked at 4,770 people with an average age of 71, who had blood pressure tests at the study's start and then every three years for an average of 10 years.

Thinking and memory tests were done at the start and end of follow-up period of 18 years. About 66 per cent of the participants were Black and the rest were white. The participants were divided into three groups based on how much their blood pressure varied over time.

For the Black participants, those with the most variability in their blood pressure had lower scores on the cognitive tests, compared to those with the least variability, the researchers said -- on average, their systolic blood pressure varied by 18 mmHg, compared to 16 mmHg among the white participants.

The difference in scores was found to be the equivalent of 2.8 years of cognitive ageing.

"These results suggest that fluctuation in blood pressure is a risk factor for cognitive problems beyond the negative effects of high blood pressure itself," Dhana said.

"Older adults should be routinely monitored for their blood pressure and any changes over time so we can identify people who may have this issue and work to alleviate it, which could potentially help to prevent or delay cognitive problems," the author said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)