Reducing high blood pressure can significantly lower the risk of dementia, according to a groundbreaking new study involving nearly 34,000 participants.
The findings confirm that hypertension is not just a cardiovascular concern but also a critical factor in long-term brain health.
Published in Nature Medicine, the study involved participants across 326 villages in rural China, where one group received intensive blood pressure management—including medications, health coaching, and lifestyle support—while the control group received standard care.
After four years, those who received proactive treatment had a 15% lower risk of developing dementia and a 16% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment compared to the control group.
These findings strongly support the notion that controlling high blood pressure is a direct pathway to lowering dementia risk.
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What the Study Reveals About Blood Pressure and Brain Health
Hypertension, defined as a blood pressure reading consistently at or above 130/80 mm Hg, affects nearly 48% of U.S. adults and is often untreated or poorly managed.
The implications go beyond stroke and heart disease—scientists now say that brain atrophy and reduced oxygen flow from small vessel damage may be contributing mechanisms linking high blood pressure to cognitive decline.
Professor Jiang He, co-author of the study, explains:
“Antihypertensive treatment can prevent dementia in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. This intervention should be scaled up globally to reduce the burden of cognitive disease.”
Professor Mitchell Elkind of the American Heart Association, who was not involved in the study, said:
“Surveys show dementia is one of the diseases that Americans fear most. This kind of result may finally motivate people to take hypertension seriously.”
Participants in the intervention group received free or subsidized blood pressure medications, personal coaching, home monitoring equipment, and guidance on lifestyle changes such as reducing alcohol intake, lowering salt consumption, and losing weight.
These multi-pronged strategies were delivered by trained local healthcare workers, often called “village doctors.”
How Lifestyle and Medication Work Together to Reduce Dementia Risk
While medication played a key role, experts believe the overall reduction in dementia risk likely reflects a combined effect of pharmacological and lifestyle interventions.
“The results likely reflect a combined effect,” said Professor Joanna Wardlaw from the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the research.
Participants not only lowered their blood pressure but also received consistent support to stay on track—a factor often missing in typical care models.
Dr. Beth Abramson of the University of Toronto noted:
“Many people ignore their hypertension or fail to take medications as directed, even though the condition can cause heart attacks and strokes.”
She added:
“The hope of preventing dementia may push people to take blood pressure management more seriously.”
Global Implications and Future Research Directions
With more than 57 million people worldwide living with dementia and projections nearing 152 million by 2050, scalable interventions like blood pressure control could have an outsized impact on public health.
These results also resemble findings from a 2024 clinical trial, which found that participants who reduced their systolic blood pressure below 120 mm Hg experienced an 11% drop in cognitive impairment risk.
“If small blood vessels can’t deliver enough oxygen to the brain, the tissue will suffer,” said Professor David Reboussin, co-author of that earlier study. “Eventually, brain tissue will atrophy and die,” he added.
Experts say these vascular changes are not simply consequences of aging but modifiable risks that can be addressed through public health action.
As researchers call for longer-term follow-ups and more diverse populations, one message is clear: blood pressure management is brain health strategy number one.
Learn more about the connection between high blood pressure and dementia and why early intervention matters.
Explore how high blood pressure in your 30s and 40s increases dementia risk and what steps to take for prevention.
For full guidance on treatment and prevention, visit our dedicated page on hypertension management and strategies.
Robin Backlund is a dedicated journalist and a medical student who has written several articles and essays exposing the falseness and hollowness of online resources in the medical science niche.