Can High Blood Pressure Cause Alzheimer's Disease Or Dementia?

— -- Question: Can high blood pressure cause Alzheimer's disease or dementia?

Answer: There've been recent studies suggesting that chronic elevation of the blood pressure that's not controlled over a period of time can increase the likelihood of getting dementia or Alzheimer's disease. We don't have good data to suggest a direct cause, but from an epidemiological point of view and [after] observing people that have had high blood pressure for a number of years, especially if it's not controlled, there seems to be an increased likelihood of getting dementia or some forms of Alzheimer's disease.