High blood pressure and cholesterol levels increase risk of Alzheimer's

Midlife vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease in later life: longitudinal, population based study

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A combination of raised blood pressure and high cholesterol levels in midlife, greatly increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease in later life, finds a study in this week's BMJ. These findings suggest that more emphasis should be placed on identification and appropriate treatment of these conditions.

A total of 1449 people who took part in a study during the 1970s and 1980s were re-examined in 1998, aged 65-79. This included a questionnaire on medical history and cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events and vascular conditions diagnosed by a physician. Height, weight and blood pressure were measured and blood specimens were taken to determine cholesterol levels.

People with raised systolic blood pressure or high cholesterol levels in midlife had a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer's disease in later life than those with normal blood pressure or cholesterol levels, even after factors including age, education, smoking status and alcohol consumption were taken into account. Participants with both of these risk factors in midlife were at an even greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those with either of these risk factors alone.

Given that both raised blood pressure and high cholesterol levels can be treated, these results may have important implications for the prevention of dementia, conclude the authors.

Contact:

Miia Kivipelto, Research Fellow, Department of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Kuopio, Finland

Tel: +358 17 173 543
Email: miia.kivipelto@uku.fi