Dementia Can Be Caused by Hypertension

High blood pressure can put you at risk for more than just damaging physical effects; it can also cause very serious neurological symptoms. When blood pressure increases above its normal and healthy range, and stays elevated, it can damage organs throughout the body. And previous research into Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia has shown vascular symptoms such as hypertension are often linked to the cognitive problems. Meaning, hypertension more than genetic background seem to be a better predictor of who might eventually develop a cognitive issue.

This new research confirms that, and further confirms that using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan on hypertensive patients can detect dementia even in a very early stage. Well before doctors and patients might normally begin to notice the cognitive symptoms through other, less precise means. This is critical for patients who will develop a cognitive disorder because while a cure is still not available for Alzheimer’s or most other cognition diseases, the best outcomes occur when treatment can begin as early as possible. Detecting dementia sooner will give more patients a higher quality of life and stave off or reduce more of their symptoms.

MRI scans being able to detect physiological changes in dementia patients is not new, but knowing who to scan to look for them is. This study also confirmed specifically what kinds of physical changes doctors looking for cognitive problems should be checking for on scans.