Dementia, Anxiety and ADHD Benefit from the Same Meds

Blood pressure medications can rescue brains from a range of conditions

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Medical experts consider sustained, elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, to be the leading medical contributor to death worldwide. When blood pressure is too high for a prolonged time, it weakens and damages blood vessels. Organs rich in blood vessels, such as the kidneys, eyes, penis and brain, are particularly vulnerable.

Hypertension harms the brain by causing strokes and by increasing the risk for dementia. A growing body of research indicates that antihypertensives — blood pressure lowering medications — can reduce the likelihood of developing dementia. At least some of this benefit may be separate from the effects these drugs have on lowering blood pressure.

Antihypertensives have been used to help the brain in other ways as well. One type, called beta-blockers, are commonly used for treating various kinds of anxiety. A recent study indicated that a different type of blood pressure medication, the calcium channel blocker amlodipine, may provide benefits for ADHD.

As a psychiatrist, many of my patients happen to be taking antihypertensives for their blood pressure. I’ve also started patients on these medications for their mental health benefits. But…