Blood pressure medication slows the progression of dementia.

A study published in the BMJ Open (of the British Medical Association) on July 26th showed that some blood pressure-lowering medications can slow memory decline in older adults and may even improve brain health.

A group of doctors in Ireland reviewed data from a study conducted in Canada on more than 360 people, with an average age of 70, who had all been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, or another form of dementia. Of these patients, 85 had used angiotensin-converting enzyme (CACE) inhibitors, a type of medication that lowers blood pressure.

After monitoring, researchers reported that patients in this group showed a slight reduction in signs of neurodegeneration compared to the control group that did not receive CACE-I.

They also conducted a small-scale study assessing the neurological health of 30 newly prescribed CACE-I patients over a six-month period. The results showed, for the first time, improvements in cognitive function among dementia patients compared to the group not receiving CACE-I.

Researchers suggest that although this improvement is small and clinically uncertain, the effect would be more pronounced if the patient group were to use CACE-I for an extended period, even though long-term use of CACE-I may cause potential side effects.

Scientists explain that CACE-I may contain small molecules that can penetrate the thick protective membranes known as the blood-brain barrier. The use of this drug could improve blood pressure and also the part of the brain associated with memory and cognition.

According to (VNA) - VT