Lowering blood pressure may help prevent dementia

Even slightly elevated blood pressure in middle age has been linked to a 30% higher risk of dementia two decades later. High blood pressure accelerates atherosclerosis and leaves people prone to an ischemic stroke, which may contribute to vascular dementia. But high blood pressure can also cause the walls of smaller arteries to thicken, raising the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Minor strokes in smaller vessels may go unnoticed, but the damage from many small, silent stokes may accumulate, leading to cognitive problems. Taking blood pressure drugs may help people avoid these risks.