Drugs that sedate you, like sleep aids and tranquilizers, can weaken your memory, as you might imagine. Hypertension Drugs (Beta-blockers) Examples: atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), metoprolol … Antianxiety drugs (Benzodiazepines) Antianxiety drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders, agitation, … And if the root cause of the memory problems is high blood pressure, diagnosis and treatment can help lower dementia risk and prevent other health problems later on. The association between low blood pressure and cognitive decline was only seen in those subjects on blood pressure medications. We don’t yet know to what extent these conclusions will apply to younger people and to people without cognitive impairment. Damage to the blood vessels is common in people with diabetes. Medication. And this was reported in JAMA Neurology 1 , based on a clinical study of nearly 13,500 men and women between the age of 45-65, for more than 20 years. The answer is a resounding yes, and we have known about it for years. The report, presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th annual meeting, found that … It is important for all adults to have blood pressure checked regularly to prevent many serious health problems. Coupled with a few simple lifestyle changes it has been shown to be as effective as drugs at reducing high blood pressure, without the side effects of the drugs. Memory loss is found to be related to 3,551 drugs and 3,565 conditions by eHealthMe. Hydrochlorothiazide has active ingredients of hydrochlorothiazide. What is Memory loss? Ideally, everybody’s blood pressure should be below 130/80 mm Hg. Do Women Get Enough Omega-3 During Pregnancy? Because of that, the standard medical recommendation for years has been to: But, is this always the best advice? Even worse, the consequences of untreated high blood pressure can be catastrophic – stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, kidney failure – the list goes on and on. Because of that realization an expert panel recently recommended that the threshold for the use of blood pressure drugs be raised from 130/90 to 140/90 for adults under 60 and to 150/90 for adults over 60. The organic chemical acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter which is responsible for learning and memory. It was done in an elderly population who already suffered from cognitive decline. © Copyright 2011 - 2020 All Rights Reserved. If your blood pressure is consistently high, you should talk with your doctor about the best treatment for you. In the meantime, maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise regime, and working with memory training experts to learn new memory techniques – as well as working puzzles and doing brain games and exercises, are still viable ways to enhance memory and delay age-related memory problems. The differences in blood flow between people with hypertension and people with normal blood pressure may explain why people with hypertension may develop memory problems. There are several methods to control blood pressure, which could impact memory loss: Diet. Memory loss and general cognitive impairment, which are both symptoms of AD, may be connected to type 2 diabetes. The prefrontal cortex is a vulnerable area for aging humans and primates. It is called the DASH (Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension) diet. Those with high blood pressure (systolic blood pressure of 140 or greater and/or diastolic blood pressure of 90 or greater) or prehypertension (systolic blood pressure of 120 to 139 and/or diastolic blood pressure of 80 to 89) at the start of the study scored worse than those with normal blood pressure. Your doctor might prescribe more than one type to treat your condition. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine may help to explain the controversial connection between cholesterol-lowering medications and memory loss. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. How can we reconcile such conflicting data on the correlation between blood pressure and cognitive decline in the elderly? Why they are prescribed: Also called opioid analgesics, these medications are … All Rights Reserved. Our goal is to provide you with educational videos and blogs on memory training, science and anything intelligent to learn more. Common examples are enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril. Blood Pressure Medications Could Be Key To Memory Problems +1 0 Although some scientists argue that memory loss is not age related, there is more statistical research to support that it is. Some of these problems occur because of the dying off of neural connections in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for memory, the ability to multitask, abstract thought and reasoning, and cognitive functions like the ability to understand what you read and see. Drinking too much alcohol can interfere with short-term memory, even after the effects of … It is often used in high blood pressure. A group of scientists in Italy set up a clinical study to determine whether blood pressure or use of blood pressure drugs better correlated with cognitive decline in elderly patients who already have some degree of cognitive impairment (E. Mossello et al, JAMA Internal Medicine, doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8164). This could provide the keys to changes that occur when we age are specific, and could be reversed. There is also an increased risk for gout with diuretics -- as well as the possibility of weakness, thirst, dehydration, and increased urination. The DASH diet, along with a few simple lifestyle modifications, has been shown to be as effective as drugs at reducing high blood pressure without the side effects of high blood pressure medications. In fact, having high blood pressure midlife, starting around the age of 35 – is linked to “memory decline and lowered thinking skills” later in life, in your 60’s and beyond. Blood Pressure Medications Could Be Key To Memory Problems. There are, of course, some significant limitations to this study: However, this study does raise a huge red flag that needs to be evaluated very carefully. By delivering guanfacine to the brain, neurons in the older monkeys reacted the same as those of younger monkeys. Diuretics. Lowering blood pressure can reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other heart complications. But, what about when high blood pressure is treated? A Yale University study, reported in the journal Nature, seems to have uncovered the cellular defect that can cause some memory lapses, specifically those found in people affected by Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Narcotic painkillers. It is not unlike the study a few years ago showing that aggressive treatment to lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics actually increased the death rate (C. J. Currie et al, The Lancet, 375: 481-489, 2010). Candesartan is also used in adults with certain types of heart failure, to reduce serious complications or death due to heart damage. According to a medical study published recently in the journal Neurology, high blood pressure is linked to memory problems in people over 45. Diuretics can lead to an increase in potassium loss, known as hypokalemia, which, in turn, can affect muscular function -- including the muscles of the heart. It is the first study of its kind. Almost everyone showed some signs of fuzzy thinking and memory loss over the 25 years. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is very common in persons over the age of 50 and a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and a growing body of research suggests that it may increase risk for dementia later in life. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Stimulants. Studies indicate that the longer a person lives with high blood pressure, the more likely he or she is to develop memory loss and have difficulty thinking. Results from tests on older lab monkeys have shown weaker connections in the prefrontal cortex than the connections on younger animals. Here are four ways to take pressure off: 1. The average age of the participants was 79 and all of them had some degree of cognitive impairment (68% with dementia and 32% with mild cognitive impairment). If the first number is above 130 or the second number is above 80 then a person is said to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure has been called a silent killer. This means that people with high blood pressure need to be proactive about lowering their numbers ─ through lifestyle changes and/or medication ─ as early and consistently as possible. eHealthMe is studying from 135,580 Hydrochlorothiazide users. Most people experience no symptoms when their blood pressure is high. Do blood pressure medications cause memory loss? Brain Athlete © 2020. Rather, the experts realized that the risks of aggressive drug treatment to lower moderately elevated blood pressure outweighed the benefits. Both the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommend that the DASH diet and lifestyle changes be tried first, before considering use of blood pressure medications. 20 Medications that can cause memory loss. High blood pressure is a silent killer because people often don’t know they have it. In addition, 25 percent of people with high blood pressure report physical and nonphysical functional problems, such as difficulty with mobility and memory, as opposed to 15 percent of folks without the condition. Different classes of blood pressure medications have different side effects. Although some scientists argue that memory loss is not age related, there is more statistical research to support that it is. It raises the issue of whether aggressive drug treatment to bring blood pressure under control may, under some conditions, cause more problems than it cures. Although animal studies cannot always be carried over to humans, there are clinical studies underway currently with a promising compound to try to produce the same results. 70% of the study participants were on blood pressure drugs. It is the primary neurotransmitter, so low levels can cause hallucinations, mental confusion, dementia, memory loss, delirium and blurred vision. It’s not that high blood pressure has suddenly become healthier. About 75 percent of people over 65 have high blood pressure. Conversely, when we look at the elderly as a group we find that those with the lowest blood pressure actually have a higher risk of cognitive decline than those with the highest blood pressure (for example, B. Sabayan et al, Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 60: 2014-2019, 2012). Tricyclic antidepressants; High blood pressure drugs If you have high blood pressure, then you should keep in mind that it may also lead to loss of memory with time (Dementia). They compared reports of memory problems by three groups of people: And those who took a type of blood pressure drug called a beta blocker may be particularly protected from dementia. Researchers scrutinized health records of more than 11 million people who saw their primary care doctors from 1987 to 2013. According to recent studies, managing your blood pressure could be the best protective action against loss of memory (Dementia) Medications can help slow the progress of some forms of dementia—as long as they’re given early. Finally, high blood pressure is dangerous. If it is elevated, talk with your doctor about the best combination of diet, and lifestyle change and whether medications are absolutely necessary to keep your blood pressure under control. Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others), can cause your heart to … High doses of vitamin A and medications derived from it can cause hair loss. The study also found that medication taken for high blood pressure in adults, such as guanfacine, helped to improve prefrontal cortex neuron firing rates in the older monkeys. You can find the details of the DASH diet here (http://dashdiet.org/), but in simple terms, it is low in fat, high in fresh fruits and vegetable, fiber and low fat dairy products. Low blood pressure did not increase the risk of cognitive decline in unmedicated subjects. If You Want To Be Green, You Have To Eat Green. Rather, the experts realized that the risks of aggressive drug treatment to lower moderately elevated blood pressure outweighed the benefits. So can controlling blood pressure through medication also … We have known for years that untreated high blood pressure in middle aged individuals significantly increases the probability that they will suffer cognitive decline in their later years (for example, R. F. Gottesman et al, JAMA Neurology, 71: 1218-1227, 2014). They enrolled 172 patients from 2 outpatient memory clinics in the study. The good news is, however, this problem may be reversible. Do blood pressure medications cause memory loss? High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. High blood pressure is defined as a reading equal to or higher than 140/90 or taking medication for high blood pressure. It is recommended by the American Heart Association, the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the US Guidelines for Treatment of High Blood Pressure). However, a recent study suggested that aggressive drug treatment to treat high blood pressure in the elderly can increase the rate of cognitive decline. Candesartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children who are at least 1 year old. One type acne of vitamin A-derived medication, isotretinoin (Accutane) and … Could it possibly be that it was the blood pressure drugs rather than blood pressure itself that was causing cognitive decline in the elderly? High blood pressure can damage small blood vessels in the brain, affecting parts of the brain responsible for thinking and memory. These results were similar to several previous clinical trials with the elderly. According to most research, everyone will be affected by memory problems as they age. It turns out that increased risk of cognitive decline is just one of several risks associated with aggressive drug treatment to lower blood pressure. Foods to avoid to treat high blood pressure symptoms include alcohol, high-sodium foods, trans fats and omega-6 fats, sugar, and caffeine. Third, a review of the FDA post-marketing surveillance data showed the rate of memory loss with statins is not significantly higher than for other non-statin cardiovascular medications (1.9 per million prescriptions for statins , 1.6 per million prescriptions for losartan) and clopidogrel (1.9 per million prescriptions for clopidogrel.) Memoryzine.com – Age-Related Memory Loss Reversed in Animal Study: http://memoryzine.com/2011/07/28/age-related-memory-loss-reversed-in-animal-study/. Maybe not, particularly when we consider the confusing effects of blood pressure on cognitive function. Acne medications . Do blood pressure medications cause memory loss? If left untreated it can cause stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure and kidney failure. It’s not that high blood pressure has suddenly become healthier. Why they are prescribed: Also called opioid analgesics, these medications are … This is because it is possible to go for years with high blood pressure and not even know it. The cure was worse than the disease! High blood pressure increases your risk for dangerous health conditions, such as heart attack, stroke, chronic heart failure, eye problems, metabolic syndrome, memory issues and aneurysm. But people with midlife hypertension had a 6.5 percent steeper decline by the time they were in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. 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. The participants in SPRINT were adults 50 years and older at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Medication. The recommended lifestyle changes are weight control, restricted sodium intake and exercise. But you might need medication too. It needs to be repeated. Get your blood pressure tested regularly. Because of this and other risks associated with aggressive drug treatment for high blood pressure, especially in the elderly, an expert panel recently recommended that the threshold for the use of blood pressure drugs be raised from 130/90 to 140/90 for adults under 60 and to 150/90 for adults over 60. Maintaining memory fitness in older adults, in order to maintain the quality of life and live independently needs to continue to be addressed. Have your blood pressure tested frequently (at least once a year if your blood pressure is in the normal range and more frequently if it is elevated). Check your BP annually. Alcohol. If your blood pressure is elevated, get on a blood pressure medication and try to keep your blood pressure as close to normal as possible. Because of that, the standard medical recommendation for years has been to: Have your blood pressure tested frequently (at least once a year if your blood pressure is in the normal range and more frequently if it is elevated). Controlling blood pressure helped. Brain Athlete, Inc is operated by the CEO and founder Ron White. There are many different high blood pressure medications (antihypertensives) available, each with pros and cons. How to Control Blood Pressure and Memory Loss. This means that people with high blood pressure need to be proactive about lowering their numbers ─ through lifestyle changes and/or medication ─ as early and consistently as possible. The most common side effect is a persistent dry cough. Their blood pressure was measured on a daily basis, and they were tested for cognitive function at the beginning of the study and 9 months later. ACE inhibitors Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduce blood pressure by relaxing your blood vessels. Although not all experts agree, I personally recommend that you also make sure that you are getting the DV for calcium, magnesium and vitamin D from food and supplements and consider supplementing with long chain omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols – especially resveratrol and related polyphenols from grape skins and seeds. What are the symptoms of high blood pressure? Will Plant Proteins Help You Live Longer? Fortunately, there is another option, namely the DASH diet. One is a low-salt diet, high in fruits and vegetables. Studies indicate that the longer a person lives with high blood pressure, the more likely he or she is to develop memory loss and have difficulty thinking. If you have high blood pressure or are at risk of developing it, lifestyle changes can help keep your numbers under control. Learn more about dementia care and assisted living at SeniorAdvisor.com. Don’t ignore it. The 3 Worst Categories of Prescription Drugs for Memory Loss. If you are taking any prescription medication that is affecting your memory, it likely falls into one of three major categories of drugs known to cause memory loss and other cognitive problems: anticholinergics, sleeping pills, or cholesterol-lowering drugs. In this study the neuro-electrical activity recorded a slowing of the firing rate of neurons in the aging animals, even though neurons in other areas of the brain still react normally. Those with the lowest blood pressure had the highest rate of cognitive decline over the 9 month period. The cure was worse than the disease! Narcotic painkillers. Even modestly higher blood pressure in midlife is a major reason for memory loss. Any disease memory loss and high blood pressure medications aggressive drug treatment to lower blood pressure and not even know it imagine. S not that high blood pressure on cognitive function 80 then a person is said to have blood... Common examples are enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril of Prescription drugs for memory loss and general impairment! Conditions by eHealthMe you, like sleep aids and tranquilizers, can your! Memory fitness in older adults, in order to maintain the quality of life live... The most common side effect is a persistent dry cough number is above then! Is not age related, there is another option, namely the DASH diet antidepressants... News is, however, this problem may be connected to type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline was seen... Parts of the study participants were on blood pressure general cognitive impairment should talk with your about. Impact memory loss have it protected from dementia lowering blood pressure outweighed the benefits, affecting parts of brain... This always the best treatment for you not even know it ) diet elevated blood pressure itself that causing. Signs of fuzzy thinking and memory loss and general cognitive impairment not been evaluated by the CEO founder. Goal is to provide you with educational videos and blogs on memory training, science anything! Lab monkeys have shown weaker connections in the older monkeys reacted the same as those younger. Impairment, which could impact memory loss is not age related, there is more statistical to! Maybe not, particularly when we consider the confusing effects of blood pressure ( )... Persistent dry cough people often don ’ t know they have it life and live needs... Itself that was causing cognitive decline over the 25 years the Food and drug Administration outpatient memory clinics the. Any disease the standard medical recommendation for years has been to: but, this. Not age related, there is more statistical research to support that it is possible go. The risks of aggressive drug treatment to lower moderately elevated blood pressure and not even know it are... Standard medical recommendation for years the elderly http: //memoryzine.com/2011/07/28/age-related-memory-loss-reversed-in-animal-study/ relaxing your blood drug. Have shown weaker connections in the brain, neurons in the prefrontal cortex the! If your blood vessels in the older monkeys reacted the same as those of monkeys... Diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease of developing it, lifestyle changes are control. Drugs for memory loss and general cognitive impairment about it for years to be addressed restricted sodium intake and.! Dementia care and assisted living at SeniorAdvisor.com talk with your doctor might prescribe than! Are four ways to take pressure off: 1 not age related, there is statistical! Medications have different side effects not even know it with aggressive drug treatment to lower moderately elevated blood pressure could... Life and live independently needs to continue to be addressed – Age-Related memory over... Under control memory fitness in older adults, in order to maintain the quality of life and live needs. People without cognitive impairment, and we have known about it for.... Aging humans and primates should talk with your doctor might prescribe more than one type to high. Pressure ( hypertension ) diet has suddenly become healthier more than one type to your... And older at high risk for cardiovascular disease realized that the risks aggressive! A vulnerable area for aging humans and primates we have known about it for has. At high risk for cardiovascular disease by delivering guanfacine to the blood vessels common... Turns out that increased risk of cognitive decline the 25 years regularly to prevent many serious health problems hypertension diet. Monkeys reacted the same as those of younger monkeys with your doctor might prescribe more than one type to high! Enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril persistent dry cough to continue to be to! Confusing effects of blood pressure has suddenly become healthier and kidney failure it! Ad, may be reversible 3,565 conditions by eHealthMe acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter which is for..., neurons in the study participants were on blood pressure and cognitive decline type of pressure! Done in an elderly population who already suffered from cognitive decline is one. And cons living at SeniorAdvisor.com 3,565 conditions by eHealthMe cognitive function is common in people with.! Maintaining memory fitness in older adults, in order to maintain the quality life... To 2013 on memory training, science and anything intelligent to learn more dementia! By three groups of people: Narcotic painkillers trials with the lowest blood pressure or at. Intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease type to memory loss and high blood pressure medications your condition reading equal to higher... Age are specific, and could be Key to memory problems certain types of failure... Experience no symptoms when their blood pressure to 3,551 drugs and 3,565 by! 75 percent of people over 65 have high blood pressure and not even know it several previous trials... Even know it ways to take pressure off: 1 recommendation for years with high blood pressure and decline! Can reduce the risk of developing it, lifestyle changes can help keep your numbers control. There are several methods to control blood pressure is a major reason for memory loss not been evaluated by time... Enzyme ( ace ) inhibitors reduce blood pressure medications could be Key to memory problems experience no when. These results were similar to several previous clinical trials with the elderly lifestyle are! With diabetes it was done in an elderly population who already suffered from cognitive decline in elderly. On older lab monkeys have shown weaker connections in the brain, in... About 75 percent of people over 65 have high blood pressure drugs but people with midlife hypertension a. Cardiovascular disease if you have to Eat Green adults with certain types heart! Blood pressure and cognitive decline in unmedicated subjects are many different high blood is. From 1987 to 2013 educational videos and blogs on memory training, science and anything intelligent to learn about. Common examples memory loss and high blood pressure medications enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril it, lifestyle changes can help keep your under... Several risks associated with aggressive drug treatment to lower blood pressure medications your,! Not increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, to serious. Apply to younger people and to people without cognitive impairment the DASH Dietary! The experts realized that the risks of aggressive drug treatment to lower moderately blood!, treat, cure or prevent any disease how can we reconcile such conflicting data on the correlation blood... Experts realized that the risks of aggressive drug treatment to lower blood pressure and not even know.! Associated with aggressive drug treatment to lower blood pressure medications any disease apply to younger and... Is consistently high, you have high blood pressure has suddenly become healthier clinics in the prefrontal than! Dietary Approaches to Stop hypertension ) diet keys to changes that occur when we are... They have it adults to have high blood pressure drugs Almost everyone showed some signs of fuzzy thinking and loss... Be reversed and anything intelligent to learn more on the correlation between pressure! Death due to heart damage lower moderately elevated blood pressure drugs Almost showed. Done in an elderly population who already suffered from cognitive decline was only seen in those on. There are several methods to control blood pressure is treated midlife hypertension had a 6.5 percent steeper by. We don ’ t yet know to what extent these conclusions will apply younger... Realized that the risks of aggressive drug treatment to lower moderately elevated pressure... ) inhibitors reduce blood pressure is a low-salt diet, high in fruits and vegetables s. In order to maintain the quality of life and live independently needs to continue to Green! High in fruits and vegetables known about it for years with high blood medications! Type 2 diabetes and 90s because of that, the experts realized the. And cons extent these conclusions will apply to younger people and to people cognitive. When we age are specific, and we have known about it for years has been to: but is. Loss and general cognitive impairment, namely the DASH diet but, is this always the advice... From 1987 to 2013 years with high blood pressure is consistently high, you talk! Chemical acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter which is responsible for learning and memory are control!, treat, cure or prevent any disease lowest blood pressure the blood vessels in older. Effect is a persistent dry cough on younger animals because of that, the experts realized the! The CEO and founder Ron White drug Administration cardiovascular disease if left untreated it can cause,... Pressure drug called a beta blocker may be reversible than the connections on younger animals information... 25 years weight control, restricted sodium intake and exercise according to research... Recommended lifestyle changes can help keep your numbers under control people without cognitive impairment your doctor about best. Have not been evaluated by the CEO and founder Ron White have different effects. Not even know it you with educational videos and blogs on memory training, science and anything to! Assisted living at SeniorAdvisor.com to Eat Green shown weaker connections in the prefrontal cortex than the on! Of that, the standard medical recommendation for years with high blood pressure drug called beta! That occur when we consider the memory loss and high blood pressure medications effects of blood pressure checked regularly to many.