12 Feb NEW GOLD STANDARD STUDY SHOWS INTENSIVE BLOOD PRESSURE TREATMENT LIKELY TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE DEMENTIA
The result of a clinical study entitled “Sprint Mind” seems to demonstrate that intensive treatment to reduce blood pressure (to a consistent systolic pressure of 120 or below) will significantly reduce mild cognitive impairment.
Researchers reported a nineteen percent (19%) lower rate of new cases of mild cognitive impairment (which often leads to dementia) when receiving intensive treatment to reduce blood pressure. The study was terminated early since the results were so positive for those with treatment compared to those who only received a placebo as it was determined that it was unethical to continue. As a result, the study’s outcome was not clearly definitive. In response to the study not being clearly definitive since it takes longer to develop dementia than mild cognitive impairment. The Alzheimer’s Association awarded more than $800,000 to fund a two year study to continue and extend follow-up of the Sprint Mind trial participants. The follow-up study will give a cognitive assessment of those participants to discover if enough cases of probable dementia to support a more definitive conclusion. The extension of the trial study (called “Sprint Mind 2”) plans to have 7,000 of the original participants for cognitive follow-up over a longer period of time for a more definitive result. Other studies on lifestyle interventions and drug interventions are also currently continuing.