HIGH blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol in the blood in middle-aged people increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease in later life, according to research published today.

As there are treatments for both conditions, the findings could have important implications for preventing the dementia that affects about 700,000 people in the United Kingdom.

Dr Miia Kivipelto, of the University of Kuopio, Finland says in the British Medical Journal: "As the proportion of elderly people in the population increases, Alzheimer's disease will become an enormous public health problem.

"Interventions that could delay the onset of the diseases even modestly would therefore have a major impact on public health".

The study was based on blood pressure and cholesterol readings of 1,449 Finns, beginning in 1972.

The researchers found that people with raised blood presures and raised cholesterol levels were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. When both were present the risk was more than three times higher.

From Healthy.net