(Shyla Cadogan/ Study Finds) — Although modern medicine has found some connections, scientists still don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle when it comes to dementia onset. However, a new international study of over 28,000 people may help clear up some of that confusion. Researchers say their findings provide the most compelling evidence to date that lowering blood pressure decreases dementia risk.
Dementia affects approximately 50 million people across the world, and that doesn’t include the families and loved ones who care for many of these individuals. Rates are likely to triple by 2050, due to the world’s increasing elderly population. Moreover, cost of care for the condition in the United States ranges from $20,000 to 40,000 per person annually.
Dr. Ruth Peters, an associate professor at UNSW Sydney and program lead for dementia researchers at The George Institute’s Global Brain Health Initiative, says that while there are several trials that have examined the health benefits of decreasing blood pressure, many don’t explore the link to dementia outcomes, and even fewer have used a reliable placebo-controlled design. (…)