New research supports the evidence that high blood pressure or hypertension, sometimes called the ‘silent killer’, is pointing to a lowered chance of developing mild cognitive impairment when they keep their blood pressure below 120mg.
The author of the new research, Dr Walter Koroshetz, director of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said: “These initial results support a growing body of evidence suggesting that controlling blood pressure may not only reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease but also of age-related cognitive loss.
“I strongly urge people to know your blood pressure and discuss with your doctors how to optimise control.
“It may be a key to your future brain health.”
High or raised blood pressure may go unnoticed by us and rarely makes us feel unwell. It is a good idea to get your blood pressure reading taken by a professional, so you might find that your readings are consistently higher than it should be. Your healthcare team will then consider other factors – such as age and weight – when deciding whether you need medical treatment.
Your GP or nurse may also suggest taking blood pressure checks at home as a good way to find whether your blood pressure changes in different situations. Using an Activ8rlives Blood Pressure monitor is so easy to use at home and it will automatically inflate the cuff, making it a less complicated processes for you and will keep a permanent record of your blood pressure over time in your free Activ8rlives account.