A study appearing in the February issue of the Archives of Neurology has found that hypertension may help predict the progression of dementia in older adults with impaired executive functions including a loss of the ability to organize thoughts and make decisions.

Researchers studied 990 adults with an average age of 83 over a five year period. They found that among patients with executive dysfunction only, the presence of hypertension was associated with a 57.7 percent risk of developing dementia, compared to a 28 percent risk among those without high blood pressure.

Other types of cognitive impairment, such as memory dysfunction, did not progress to full-blown dementia based on the presence of hypertension, however.

The study’s authors note that hypertension is a major risk factor for vascular brain diseases and vascular cognitive impairment.

"The presence of hypertension predicts progression to dementia in a subgroup of about one-third of subjects with cognitive impairment," they conclude. "Control of hypertension in this population could decrease by one-half the projected 50 percent five-year rate of progression to dementia."

According to the American Heart Association, hypertension increases the risk for heart attack, angina, stroke, kidney failure and peripheral artery disease. In addition to lifestyle changes like weight loss and exercise, supplements containing potassium, calcium, fish oil, magnesium and garlic may help prevent it.