Blood pressure-lowering drugs to help in lowering risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

Updated Trends: Researchers in the UK have suggested that drugs that are commonly used in controlling high blood pressure could decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Such drugs also reduce the chance of developing another form of dementia.

The researchers had studied more than 60,000 people over the age of 60 in Britain. It was found that people who had taken some type of drug for lowering blood pressure were 50 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who were on some other kind of hypertensive medication.

People on such medication were also 25 percent less likely to develop vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of brain wasting disease.

The drugs with such protective effects are known as ARBs or angiotensin II receptor blockers. Such drugs are commonly prescribed for people under the age of 55 who have the problem if high blood pressure. The drugs affect the rennin angiotensis system, which helps in regulating the blood pressure and fluid balance. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, is another type of drug which helps the system. This also has a protective effect, but it is just half as strong as the angiotensin II receptor blockers. The researchers have said that it was the first large scale trial to find such an association.