Lowering blood pressure cuts ‘odds’ of getting dementia

Lowering your blood pressure is good for your health in loads of ways. People with healthy blood pressure levels are at far less risk of deadly cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart disease. But the decision to lower your blood pressure may also reduce your chances of getting dementia, suggests new research.A study undertaken by the George Institute for Global Health gathered firm evidence that people who lowered their blood pressure using medication had much less risk of getting dementia, compared to people with hypertension (high blood pressure).The new study looked at five major experiments that involved a total of 28,008 people with an average age of 69 from 20 different countries.After receiving treatment, the participants checked up on over more than four years. 861 people in the experiments developed dementia.In the experiments, participants didn’t know whether they were receiving blood pressure medication or a placebo.READ MORE: Acholic stools are ‘the most common’ sign of pancreatic cancer in ‘initial’ stagesREAD MORE: Acholic stools are ‘the most common’ sign of pancreatic cancer in ‘initial’ stages People who lowered their blood pressure using medication had lower odds of getting dementia (Image: GETTY)Talking about the study, Doctor Ruth Peters, an Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney, who was involved in the study said:’We found there was a significant effect of treatment in lowering the odds of dementia associated with a sustained reduction in blood pressure in this older population.’Given population aging and the substantial costs of caring for people with dementia, even a small reduction could have a considerable global impact.’Our study suggests that using readily available treatments to lower blood pressure is currently one of our ‘best bets’ to tackle this insidious disease.’DON’T MISS:Bob Mortimer admits he is ‘not very well’ – ‘It’s a real downer’ [CELEBRITY]Dyschezia could signal spreading tumour of bowel cancer – sign that strikes on loo [SYMPTOMS]’Ascites’ can be sign of fatty liver disease – ‘Symptoms may develop slowly or suddenly’ [FATTY LIVER DISEASE] A healthy blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg (Image: Getty) Cutting down your salt intake down to a healthy level (no more than 6g per day) reduces BP (Image: Getty)According to the NHS, a healthy blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg.There are many types of blood pressure medications that could be prescribed if you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure. These include diuretics, beta-blockers, alpha-blockers, and ACE inhibitors. But several lifestyle changes can also make a massive difference in your blood pressure levels.Some ways that you can reduce your blood pressure include the following:Cutting back on saltStop smokingCutting back on alcoholRegular exerciseImproving your sleepThe Mayo Clinic explains that regular physical activity can reduce your blood pressure by ‘about 5 to 8 mmHg’.It said: ‘It’s important to keep exercising to keep blood pressure from rising again. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day.’