A new NIH research trial, enrolling 7,500 people for at least four years, will try to learn whether lowering blood pressure can help prevent dementia. Some observational epidemiologic data suggest a link between the two. This is a significant question not only for baby boomers who are helping to care for aging parents, but also for the boomers themselves who are thinking about what their lives will be like in old age. The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) will use common blood pressure medications and begin enrolling participants in the fall of 2010.
For More Information
- Expert Panel on a Hypertension Treatment Trial Initiative NIH Panel with extensive discussion about the proposed SPRINT
- WebMD/Medscape (you will need to set up a free account) National Institutes of Health Launches US Multicenter Trial to Investigate True Benefits of Lower Blood Pressure Targets
SPRINT Trial Locations (more details about trial centers)
- Case Western Reserve
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Medical Center, Memphis
- University of Alabama
- University of Utah
- Wake Forest University (study coordination center)
As Our Parents Age So Do We 