One of those breakthroughs might lie in common medications. A Johns Hopkins study has found that people who take certain blood pressure medications were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who did not.
The study, which came out in 2013 in the journal JAMA Neurology, discovered that blood pressure plays an important role in Alzheimer’s development. Specifically, those with lower than normal blood pressure were less likely to show brain changes that affect cognition and memory. Those with high blood pressure also were more likely to have biomarkers of Alzheimer’s in their spinal fluid. Another study showed that the more blood pressure varied over an eight-year period, the greater the risk of mental issues.
What’s it all mean? Researchers believe that high blood pressure damages the small blood vessels in the brain that can affect memory and thinking. So lowering blood pressure not only reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, but also may affect the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
The most recent study seems to have confirmed prior research that showed the blood pressure/Alzheimer’s linkage. The 2013 study actually confirmed prior work that showed potassium-sparing diuretics reduced Alzheimer's by close to 75 percent, while any type of anti-hypertensive medication seems to reduce risk by a third.
Bottom line: Reducing blood pressure, whether with medication or other means, likely reduces the chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. Even those with mild Alzheimer’s were likely to slow the progression of the disease by taking blood pressure medications to lower their overall numbers.
While researchers are still hedging a bit – they are not sure if it’s the blood pressure or a side effect of the medication that actually slows Alzheimer’s – it’s certainly promising news for those who have or might have the disease.
What Is Blood Pressure?
The arteries, veins and capillaries that carry blood through the body are known as blood vessels. Arteries deliver oxygen and nutrients to tiny, thin-walled capillaries that feed the energy to the body’s cells, while taking back waste material and carbon dioxide for elimination by passing them back to veins, which take the blood away to the heart and lungs. The process goes on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The diastolic blood pressure is the bottom number in a blood pressure readout. It measures the force the heart uses to transmit blood through the arteries. The harder the heart works, the higher the number. The optimal number typically is less than 80 mm HG. Higher readings are indicative of high blood pressure or the propensity for it.
The systolic blood pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading. This is the pressure of the arteries during a heartbeat. The best number is less than 120. A higher number may indicate the arteries are becoming stiff or a buildup of plaque is causing issues.
Maintaining Optimal Blood Pressure
Whatever the ultimate answer may turn out to be, it’s never a bad idea to work on lowering blood pressure as a means to better overall health. It’s definitively clear that blood pressure is a major factor in heart disease, strokes, kidney disease and other problems in the body.
Lowering blood pressure requires a focus on diet and exercise. Foods high in fat, sodium and salt are big parts of the typical American diet. Concentrate on fresh foods instead of processed foods. Sure, it’s more arduous to make a salad than pop something in the microwave, but the reduction in fat, salt and artificial ingredients is worth the few extra minutes of preparation. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry, fish, nuts, lean meats and seeds should be the mainstays of a healthy diet, while red meat, sugar-filled juices and soda, and artificial anything should be consumed sparingly. Blood pressure is quick to react to a change in diet, in some cases decreasing within 14 days.
Losing weight is also a big help. Losing just a dozen pounds can shave four points of the systolic blood pressure (the top number) and more than three points off the diastolic (bottom number). That reduction is effective, even if you don’t reduce salt consumption.
Monitoring blood pressure at home can make patients more aware of the conditions that may spike it. A blood pressure cuff can be purchased for less than $50, and many supermarkets, drug stores and pharmacies now offer free blood pressure checks.
Moderate exercise can play a role in helping to reduce blood pressure. Even walking a bit after dinner, parking the car at the far end of the lot or taking the stairs instead of the elevator has its benefits.
What kind of medications may help control blood pressure, and, therefore, reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease? The American Academy of Neurology found that any blood pressure medication helped but recommended beta blockers, which research shows most reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
Beta blocker medications include acebutolol (commercially known as Sectral), metoprolol, atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), nebivolol (Bystolic), nadolol (Corgard) and propranolol (Inderal LA). Research concluded that these produce less corrosion in the brain and thus, fewer chances of developing the severe dementia and memory problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
While research is ongoing for the blood pressure/Alzheimer’s connection, it is not a good idea to start beta blockers merely as an Alzheimer’s preventive. It’s also not a good idea if on another type of blood pressure medication to switch to beta blockers without consulting a doctor. Just keep in mind that a healthy heart may mean a healthier brain. That’s the message the medical community hopes that you hear.