BIRMINGHAM — Research published June 3 in the journal Neurology found an association between a higher genetic risk score for elevated pulse pressure and an increased risk of dementia-related death. Participants with a higher genetic risk score for elevated pulse pressure had a 16 percent increased risk of dementia-related death.

Laura Raffield, an assistant professor of genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, led the research team. Raffield said, "Pulse pressure doesn't always get as much attention. But potentially this adds to the literature that it may be an important risk factor."

The study's researchers analyzed data from the ongoing REGARDS Study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The dataset includes more than 30,000 U.S. adults aged 45 and older, with an oversampling of Black adults. Raffield's team analyzed a subset of nearly 9,000 people from the study with an average age of 64.

Researchers calculated genetic risk scores for 11 cardiometabolic conditions and risk factors, including high pulse pressure, atrial fibrillation, and cholesterol levels. After 14 years, more than 450 study participants had died of a dementia-related cause. Other conditions or risk factors, such as Type 2 diabetes or coronary artery disease, did not show a statistical link to dementia-related death in this study.

Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. Systolic pressure measures the pressure on a person's arteries when the heart squeezes and sends blood throughout the body. Diastolic pressure measures the arterial pressure when the heart is between beats. High pulse pressure indicates stiff blood vessels and is an established risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Elevated pulse pressure may also indicate atherosclerosis, a condition where plaque builds up in the arteries. A sustained pulse pressure above 40 mm Hg may increase health risks. Every 10 mm Hg increase in pulse pressure corresponds to a 23 percent higher risk of coronary artery disease, according to the Framingham Heart Study. High pulse pressure is also considered a risk factor for cognitive decline, which is independent of overall blood pressure.

Dr. Charles Hong, chair of medicine at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine, stated pulse pressure reflects underlying physiological processes. Hong said, "Pulse pressure is actually a good number to have because it reflects something else that's going on." He described this process, saying, "If you are blowing into, say, a brand-new balloon, or a balloon that is very stiff, you have to generate a lot of pressure to force the air in."

Raffield said, "This is just one piece of the puzzle. It doesn't exclude many other very important both genetic and clinical risk factors."