Blood pressure and dementia risk share surprising link, study suggests
In a large, randomized trial, researchers led by First Hospital of China Medical University discovered that "intensive blood pressure control" resulted in a 15% reduced dementia risk among participants and a 16% reduced risk of cognitive impairment.
The study included 33,995 people in rural China aged 40 or older who had "uncontrolled hypertension."
7 Blood Pressure Mistakes That Could Be Throwing Off Your Readings
The participants were divided into two groups. One received "usual care," while the other was assigned to "trained non-physician community healthcare providers" who prescribed "titrated antihypertensive medications."
For the latter group, the medications helped them achieve a systolic blood pressure goal of <130 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure goal of <80 mm Hg, according to the study findings in Nature Medicine.
Read On The Fox News App
"The primary outcome of all-cause dementia was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the usual care group," the researchers wrote.
They were also less likely to experience "serious adverse events."
Health Boost And Dementia Prevention In Just 5 Minutes A Day
This was one of the first large-scale, randomized, controlled effectiveness trials to demonstrate a "significant reduction in all-cause dementia associated with lowering blood pressure," the researchers concluded.
There were some limitations of the study, the article acknowledged, including the absence of baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments.
Dr. Bradley Serwer — an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals — said this study presents an "intriguing approach" to addressing dementia in individuals with uncontrolled hypertension.
Just 5 Minutes Of Exercise Could Reduce High Blood Pressure, Study Finds
"Unlike studies performed in the United States, this study employed non-physicians to significantly reduce blood pressure in rural China through a 'cluster' blinding method," Ohio-based Serwer, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
"While the study can be subject to scrutiny, it raises a pertinent question: How crucial is modification of cardiovascular risk factors in the development of dementia?"
The primary medications used in the study to lower blood pressure were calcium channel blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers, Serwer noted.
"These commonly prescribed medications have been independently associated with a reduced risk of dementia, irrespective of the magnitude of blood pressure reduction they achieve," he said.
"This raises the possibility that the lower rates of dementia observed may be attributed to other beneficial effects of the medications rather than solely to blood pressure reduction."
To confirm the findings, Serwer said it would be beneficial to include baseline cognitive assessments of the patients and to identify the prevalence of Alzheimer's dementia within the communities.
"The most significant takeaway from this study is the profound importance of addressing blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and sedentary lifestyles," the cardiologist said.
Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter
"By prioritizing these factors, we not only aim to prevent heart attacks and strokes, but also strive to enhance overall quality of life."
The study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Society of Cardiology Foundation, and the Science and Technology Program of Liaoning Province, China.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.Original article source: Blood pressure and dementia risk share surprising link, study suggests
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Silent Symptom That Could Be a Sign of Blood Clots
The Silent Symptom That Could Be a Sign of Blood Clots originally appeared on Parade. Your blood's ability to clot after a cut or injury is an important defense mechanism to keep you from bleeding too much. But blood clots can cause serious health issues like strokes and heart attacks when they happen outside of that. About 900,000 people in the U.S. develop a blood clot each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Americans die from blood clot complications annually, making this an important health issue to be aware of. 'Awareness of blood clot symptoms is critically important because early recognition can be life-saving,' says, a pulmonologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. 'Recognizing symptoms early allows for prompt medical treatment.' That can help lower the risk of permanent damage to organs or tissues, he points the problem: Not all symptoms of blood clots are obvious, and one in particular can be easily mistaken for other, much less severe health issues. Here's what doctors want you to keep in mind about this symptom, why it can be confused with other things and when to take action. 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 How Do Serious Blood Clots Happen? Before we go over the symptom, it's important to first go over how blood clots can become serious. Blood clots that happen spontaneously usually start in the legs, explains , a vascular surgeon at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. 'They aren't life-threatening in themselves, but they occasionally dislodge and go to the lungs,' he says. This is called a pulmonary embolism. Related: With a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot gets stuck in an artery in the lung and blocks blood flow to part of the lung, Dr. Yi explains. There, it can cause permanent damage to the lungs, low oxygen levels in your blood, and damage to other organs in your body (from not getting enough oxygen), he says, adding, 'This can be life-threatening." The Silent Sign of Blood Clots To Know About, According to a Vascular Surgeon Back to that silent symptom: Shortness of breath is common with pulmonary embolisms. 'Shortness of breath is a hallmark symptom of pulmonary embolism because of how the condition affects the lungs and oxygen delivery,' Dr. Parson says. 'The blocked artery prevents blood from reaching parts of the lung, so oxygen can't be absorbed into the bloodstream efficiently, resulting in shortness of breath.' This blockage usually comes on suddenly, so the body doesn't have time to compensate for the lower-than-usual oxygen, he explains. That can lead to sudden and intense shortness of breath. Related: When Shortness of Breath Is a Sign of a Blood Clot Shortness of breath can also be a sign of a slew of other things, including being out of shape, having asthma or just having a cold, making this a tricky thing to pin on a blood clot. But doctors say there are a few key differences between 'regular' shortness of breath and feeling breathless due to a blood clot.'Standard shortness of breath usually comes with exercise or activity,' Dr. Yi says. 'With a blood clot, there is a sudden onset of shortness of breath where you feel like you can't catch your breath.' You may also start breathing faster than usual, he explains. Along with coming on hard and fast, shortness of breath from a blood clot tends to get worse with exertion or taking deep breaths, according to Dr. Other Signs of a Blood Clot and What To Do While sudden shortness of breath alone should raise concerns about a possible pulmonary embolism, there are other blood clot symptoms doctors warn should be on your radar: Fast breathing Chest pain (it usually gets worse when you cough or take a deep breath) A faster-than-usual heart rate Coughing, including coughing up blood Very low blood pressure Feeling lightheaded Fainting It can be tempting to write these signs off if you have one or two that can be explained away as something more minor. But doctors stress the importance of taking these seriously if you or someone around you has them. 'If someone experiences these symptoms, immediate medical attention is critical,' Dr. Parsons says. Up Next:Sources: How Does Blood Clot? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Data and Statistics on Venous Thromboembolism, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Christopher Yi, MD, a vascular surgeon at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA Pulmonary Embolism. US National Library of Medicine Dr. Jonathan Parsons, MD, a pulmonologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center The Silent Symptom That Could Be a Sign of Blood Clots first appeared on Parade on Jul 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
13 hours ago
- Forbes
Changes In Prior Approval Coming To Traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage
There were two major announcements recently regarding prior approval of treatments and services for Medicare beneficiaries. In most medical insurance, many treatments won't be covered unless it is approved first by the insurer. It's been a source of controversy for some time. Original Medicare hasn't required prior authorization of treatments and services, with a few exceptions. For most care, providers and the patient agree on a treatment. After the treatment, paperwork for approval and payment is submitted to Medicare. Medicare recently announced a new model program that will test pre-approval. The voluntary model program will test pre-approval for some services and treatments, according to a recent announcement from the Center for Innovation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The model program is seeking medical providers to volunteer for the program from Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2031. The model will be restricted to New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Washington. Providers who volunteer and are accepted will agree to seek prior authorization for 17 items and services, including skin substitutes, deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's Disease, impotence treatment, and arthroscopy for knee osteoarthritis. A provider who volunteers for the program can choose not to seek prior approval for a case. There will be a post-treatment review of the case, and the provider will risk not being paid by Medicare for the treatment. CMS initiated the program and selected the services to be covered because of a series of reports showing waste, fraud or abuse in certain areas. For example, Medicare spent up to $5.8 billion in 2022 on unnecessary or inappropriate services that had no clinical benefit, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. Under the model, providers will submit the same information they currently submit for payment approval after a service is provided to a beneficiary. The difference is that under the model, the information will be submitted earlier and the provider will wait for approval before performing the services. CMS will select companies to receive and review the prior authorizations. It expects that they will use artificial intelligence and other tools in addition to medical professionals to review the submissions. The companies will be paid based on the extent to which they saved the government money by stopping unnecessary services. CMS said it will manage the program to avoid adverse impact on beneficiaries and providers. There was other news about pre-approval, this time involving Medicare Advantage plans. Pre-approval in Medicare Advantage plans has been controversial recently. There have been a number of recent reports and studies that found the authorization process was delaying treatment or causing patients to abandon treatment plans. Other reports indicated that a high percentage of treatments that initially were denied coverage eventually were approved if the patients or their providers appealed the than 50 major insurers who sponsor many types of insurance plans announced that they will voluntarily streamline prior authorization of treatments and services in all insurance markets, including Medicare Advantage plans. The insurers say they plan to have the new process in place by Jan. 1, 2027.
Time Business News
20 hours ago
- Time Business News
BrainSim-X Launches Developer Platform for Neural Simulation Data
BrainSim-X announced the launch of a developer access program that allows researchers and app developers to integrate brain simulation data into their applications. More information about the platform is available at their official website . The Bangalore-based research initiative said the platform will focus on medical applications, particularly epilepsy research and neurological treatment development. Unlike typical API services, BrainSim-X requires developers to submit applications explaining their intended use cases before gaining access to the platform. Interested developers can request API credentials through their secure portal. The approval process takes approximately one week, with the organization reviewing each application to ensure it aligns with their medical research focus. One developer who has used the platform for three months described it as providing detailed neural activity data that requires significant technical expertise to implement properly. A detailed account of this developer's experience can be found in their comprehensive review . 'The platform generates large amounts of data that require powerful computing resources,' the developer said. 'It's designed for serious medical research rather than general app development.' The organization provides documentation and support for developers working on brain-computer interfaces, neuroscience research projects, and medical applications. Their research findings are available for review in published papers. Real-time data access became available recently, allowing developers to integrate live neural simulation feeds into their applications. The platform is intended for researchers studying brain activity patterns, testing neurological treatments, and developing diagnostic tools. BrainSim-X operates the service through a secure API that provides access to neural simulation data generated by their brain modeling platform. Technical requirements include high-memory computing systems capable of processing large neural datasets. Additional technical insights about the platform's capabilities can be found in this technical analysis . The research initiative says the developer program represents part of their commitment to making brain simulation technology accessible to the global research community. Applications are evaluated based on their potential contribution to medical research and neurological treatment development. BrainSim-X has not disclosed revenue generated from the developer platform, stating that funds support ongoing research activities. The organization expects demand for the platform to grow as more researchers learn about neural simulation applications in medical research. Future platform updates will include enhanced simulation capabilities and additional tools for analyzing neural activity patterns. BrainSim-X says the developer program differentiates it from commercial AI companies by focusing on open research collaboration rather than proprietary technology development. The platform supports research into cognitive enhancement, educational technology, and advanced diagnostic systems. Developers interested in accessing the platform must demonstrate relevant research experience and explain how they plan to use neural simulation data in their projects. BrainSim-X provides training resources to help developers understand neuroscience concepts necessary for effectively using the platform. The organization says it will continue expanding the developer program while maintaining focus on medical and scientific applications. Related Resources TIME BUSINESS NEWS
