It appears medical study has proven again why we need to keep our Blood Pressure in check. A new study from the National Institute of Health has revealed that having high blood pressure could have a significant effect on your likelihood for developing cognitive issues. Simply put, those who have even just risk factors for health issues such as stroke could still be doing damage to their brains.

The observation was made as part of a larger study on stroke risks where age, blood pressure, smoking, and heart enlargement were taken into account. According to their findings, “each 10 mmHG increase in systolic blood pressure — the top number in a blood pressure reading — was tied with an approximately 4 percent increase in risk of cognitive decline.”

There currently is no full explanation for the tie-in between vascular health and cognitive decline, however it’s possible that undue wear caused on the smaller blood vessels in the brain as a result of vascular issues could be a culprit.

To be safe, get yourself checked for high blood pressure by your doctor, and if you’ve already been diagnosed with it, follow your physician’s instructions on addressing it.

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