According to a new study, hypertension and dementia may be linked. Learn about high blood pressure and the risk for dementia in women.
Around 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, a condition that affects memory, cognition, and everyday tasks. While there is no current way to cure dementia or slow down its progression, multiple risk factors have been identified.
One key risk factor is high blood pressure (hypertension), a cardiovascular condition that also plays a role in heart disease. Moreover, while there is no cure for dementia, there are ways to reduce the risks through lifestyle changes and medication.
Some research suggests that women with high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing dementia than men. Still, more research is necessary to confirm these results, as other studies don’t show a gender-based connection.
New Study Findings
According to new research, middle-aged women with hypertension have a higher risk of dementia. The study involved more than half a million individuals and is available in the BMC Medicine journal.
In addition to high blood pressure, researchers found that multiple factors affect the development of dementia in men and women. These factors include smoking, diabetes, high body fat, and low socioeconomic status.
Risk Factors
While multiple risk factors can increase the risk of dementia for both men and women, hypertension is different. According to the study, high blood pressure increases the risk in women more than men.
To illustrate, when systolic blood pressure increases in men from low to high levels, the risk of dementia decreases. It then increases again in a U-shaped curve. For women, the risk of dementia is flat with low systolic blood pressure. However, as blood pressure increases, so does their risk of dementia – known as a dose-response relationship.
Not only is the difference in risk apparent in vascular dementia, but also apparent in Alzheimer’s disease.
Treatment Options
These results may highlight the different ways in which hypertension is treated between men and women. According to previous studies, women may take more different medications than men and are less likely to follow the recommended use.
Lead study author Jessica Gong, a Ph.D. candidate at the George Institute for Global Health, has this to say:
“While it is plausible that the sex differences observed in blood pressure in relation to dementia risk may be related to biological differences between women and men, disparities in medical treatments may also offer some explanation.”
According to Ging, healthcare professionals should take gender, race, and other factors into account when treating hypertension. “Clinicians should recommend a tailored blood-pressure-lowering regimen and other treatment options depending on the individual’s risk, rather than blood pressure alone,” said Gong.
Improving Blood Pressure
When it comes to improving your heart health, it’s important to maintain healthy blood pressure. By exercising regularly and eating healthy, you can make a big difference in your numbers.
Moreover, you can take heart supplements like L-arginine Plus to help you promote your circulation even more. Its ingredients support healthier blood flow, energy levels, and overall heart health.
Try L-arginine Plus now to start promoting your circulation, blood flow, and health.