Blood Pressure Drugs May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk

Men and women who take drugs to keep high blood pressure in check may be somewhat protected against Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, a new study found. And those who took a type of blood pressure drug called a beta blocker may be particularly protected from dementia. The report, presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th annual meeting, found that treatment for high blood pressure was good for the brain, regardless of the type of blood pressure medication taken. But people who took beta blockers had the fewest brain changes typical of incipient Alzheimer’s disease. Examples of beta blockers, which slow the heart beat, include acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), metoprolol, nadolol (Corgard), nebivolol (Bystolic) and propranolol (Inderal LA). Over time, high blood pressure has corrosive effects on blood vessels throughout the body, including the brain. http://www.alzinfo.org/08/articles/diagnosis-and-causes/blood-pressure-drugs-reduce-alzheimers-risk