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A new study suggests that intensive blood pressure control for just 3.5 years can significantly reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia in adults with high blood pressure and high cardiovascular risk, even after stopping treatment.
The findings, published in the journal Neurology, highlight the long-term benefits of aggressive blood pressure management for preventing cognitive decline.
The study involved over 9,300 participants aged 50 and older. Participants were randomly assigned to either a systolic blood pressure goal of less than 120 mmHg (intensive treatment) or less than 140 mmHg (standard treatment).
Participants were followed for a median of seven years, with cognitive assessments conducted both in-person and via telephone. They were then classified as having no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or probable dementia.
“We found that the intensive treatment group had a sustained lower incidence of developing cognitive impairment compared to those in the standard treatment group,” said study co-author David M. Reboussin, Ph.D., professor of biostatistics and data science at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Researchers specifically found that participants in the intensive treatment group had a lower rate of mild cognitive impairment and a lower combined rate of mild cognitive impairment or probable dementia.
The findings add to previous research from the SPRINT trial, which showed that intensive blood pressure management reduced cardiovascular disease and lowered the risk of death by 30-40% in people with hypertension.
“Our study shows that intensive blood pressure control is an important strategy in the prevention of cognitive impairment, a major cause of loss of independence in older adults,” said study co-author Jeff Williamson, M.D., M.H.S, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “Lowering your blood pressure to more aggressive targets can improve the quality of life and extend active life for individuals with hypertension.”
The study suggests that intensive blood pressure control may be a valuable tool for reducing the risk of cognitive decline in adults with high blood pressure and high cardiovascular risk.
More information:
- Long-Term Effect of Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control on Mild Cognitive Impairment and Probable Dementia in SPRINT [invalid URL removed] ([David M. Reboussin et al, Neurology (2025)])
- Neurology
