Hypertension and Brain Health: Setting Limits National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Organizational Update

Stroke incidence and mortality have been steadily declining in the United States over the past 2 decades. In the last 5 years, stroke dropped from the third to the fifth leading cause of death in the United States! Experts attribute these trends to better control of risk factors and system-wide improvements in stroke care. Efforts to control hypertension, the most important stroke risk factor, seem to have had the most substantial influence. Given hypertension’s role in the close association between cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment and dementia, control of risk factors is likely also contributing to recent declines in the incidence of dementia. Despite this good news, we must remain diligent in our prevention efforts. Overall stroke prevalence is increasing as a result of aging of our population, and racial and ethnic minorities continue to suffer a disproportionate burden of stroke. The CDC estimates that 200 000 preventable deaths from stroke and heart disease occur each year. In 1993, the …