Challenges of hypertension and dementia in the Indian subcontinent: a review

Abstract

Hypertension is regarded as a major contributor to vascular disease. Vascular disease is a fairly common denominator in a large percentage of cases of dementia. Despite this strong connecting link, dementia is often not considered as a mainstream problem consequent to hypertension, though there is an alarming increase in the number of cases of dementia. While established dementia has very few treatment options, prevention of development and slowing of progression of dementia by proper treatment of hypertension could be an important strategy, especially so, in a financially challenged Indian subcontinent with inhomogeneous health coverage. None of us wants to be reminded that dementia is random, relentless, and frighteningly common—Laurie Graham.