High Blood Pressure Linked to Dementia

High blood pressure increases an individual's risk of suffering dementia in old age by an astonishing 600%, reports the Daily Telegraph. The study, conducted in the UK—where 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure by middle age—found that hypertension increased the incidence of vascular dementia. The second most common form of the disease after Alzheimer's, vascular dementia can cause memory loss, seizures and increased risk of stroke.

"People fear dementia more than any other condition in later life. It's a devastating disease that robs people of their lives," said the chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society.  "Everyone should get their blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly and receive effective treatment." (More high blood pressure stories.)