Pulse pressure linked to higher dementia death risk in study

A study published June 3 in the journal Neurology found that people with a higher genetic risk score for elevated pulse pressure had a 16% increased risk of dementia-related death after 14 years of follow-up. Researchers analyzed data from a subset of nearly 9,000 participants in the ongoing REGARDS study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The average participant age was 64, and the dataset oversampled Black adults.

What pulse pressure measures Pulse pressure is the numerical difference between the top systolic reading and the bottom diastolic reading on a standard blood pressure measurement. A reading of 120/80 mm Hg produces a pulse pressure of 40 mm Hg, which is considered normal.

Systolic pressure reflects arterial force when the heart contracts. Diastolic pressure reflects force when the heart rests between beats. Values above 40 mm Hg that persist can indicate stiffer arteries.

Study findings on dementia The research calculated genetic risk scores for 11 cardiometabolic conditions and risk factors. Only the score tied to high pulse pressure showed a statistically significant association with dementia-related death. Geneticist Laura Raffield, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and co-author of the study, said pulse pressure is a less well-studied metric that may provide additional information about arterial stiffness and brain blood flow.

Clinical context and recommendations Dr.

Charles Hong, chair of medicine at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, said elevated pulse pressure is an established risk factor for heart disease and stroke and may also signal conditions such as atherosclerosis. Dr. Steven Nissen, chief academic officer at the Cleveland Clinic’s Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, noted that treating blood pressure generally reduces pulse pressure.