Can Treating High Blood Pressure Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer's Disease?

Jasmine C

24 Oct 2025 — 1 min read

Blood Pressure

What Did the Research Discover?

Researchers investigated whether high blood pressure (hypertension) and the use of antihypertensive medications affect the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other types of dementia in older adults. This study combined data from 31,250 participants across 14 countries, with an average starting age of 72 years.

The findings showed that people with untreated hypertension had a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to both those with normal blood pressure and those who managed their hypertension with medication. However, for non-Alzheimer’s dementia, both treated and untreated hypertension were linked to a higher risk, suggesting that blood pressure management may not reduce all types of dementia equally.

The study also explored how blood pressure levels relate to dementia risk and found a possible U-shaped relationship between diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and non-Alzheimer’s dementia, meaning that both very low and very high DBP could increase risk over long periods.

How Can I Apply This Information?

This study highlights the importance of managing high blood pressure throughout life, as untreated hypertension increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. If you or a loved one has high blood pressure, working with a doctor to keep it under control with medications or lifestyle changes may help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s.

For healthcare providers, these findings emphasize that consistent blood pressure management in late life is crucial for reducing Alzheimer’s risk. However, because both high and low diastolic blood pressure may impact non-Alzheimer’s dementia, careful monitoring of blood pressure levels over time is essential.

While a single blood pressure reading was not strongly linked to dementia risk, this study reinforces that long-term blood pressure control is key to brain health as we age.

Source:

Lennon MJ, Lipnicki DM, Lam BC, Crawford JD, Schutte AE, Peters R, Rydberg-Sterner T, Najar J, Skoog I, Riedel-Heller SG, Röhr S. Blood pressure, antihypertensive use, and late-life Alzheimer and non-Alzheimer dementia risk: an individual participant data meta-analysis. Neurology. 2024 Sep 10;103(5):e209715. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39141884/

Racial Gaps in Stroke Treatment: Who Gets Life-Saving Care?

What Did the Research Discover? This study looked at racial differences in the use of mechanical thrombectomy (MT)—a procedure that removes blood clots from the brain in people experiencing a stroke. Researchers analyzed 889,309 stroke cases in U.S. hospitals between 2006 and 2014 and found that only

Progress with Artificial Retina Implants in Patients with Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa are two major causes of vision loss, and both damage the retina—the layer in the back of the eye that captures light and sends signals to the brain. Once those photoreceptors, called rods and cones, are lost, vision declines. But new research shows that

Don’t Toss Them—Here’s How to Safely Dispose of Unused Medicines

Is your medicine cabinet full of expired drugs or medications you no longer use? The best way to dispose of most types of expired, unwanted or unused medicines is through a drug take-back program. To discard of your prescription or over-the-counter medicines, you can: If you cannot use those options,

Music May Help Lower Dementia Risk in Older Adults, A New Study Suggests

The Connection Between Music and Brain Health As people live longer, more families worry about memory loss and dementia. Scientists are working hard to understand how lifestyle habits—like staying active, socializing, and learning new skills—may help protect the brain. One area that has gained attention is music. Many