WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Many people know treating high blood pressure reduces the odds of a heart attack, stroke or heart failure. Now, a new study suggests another added benefit: a lower risk of lesions in the brain that increase the chances of dementia, stroke and falls in older adults.

The study, published this week in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, included 199 women and men age 75 and older. They all had systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 150 or higher and brain MRIs showing lesions known as white matter hyperintensity lesions that are common in older adults.

MONDAY, Sept. 16, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Checking blood pressure at home or elsewhere outside a doctor's office could help predict a certain heart problem among black adults better than the same check done during a medical visit, new research suggests.

The study published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension sought to shed new light on a long-known issue: High blood pressure is more common and more severe for non-Hispanic black adults in the U.S. compared to other groups. Regardless of race, high blood pressure is often called "the silent killer" because its symptoms are hard to detect, and it can trigger serious cardiovascular disease.