Increasing evidence shows that hypertension, which causes damage to small and large cerebral vessels, is the most important, modifiable, vascular risk factor for the development and progression of cognitive decline and dementia.11 Hypertension is, therefore, a major cause of coronary heart disease, stroke, arrhythmias, heart failure, renal disease, and dementia. Since the 1980s, mortality rates related to stroke and coronary heart disease have decreased in industrialised countries, partly because of improved blood pressure control. In summary, in terms of epidemiological transition, causes of cardiovascular death have clearly evolved over the past three decades: end-stage cardiovascular disease (atrial fibrillation, renal disease, dementia, and heart failure) is becoming more frequent than coronary heart disease and stroke. Because hypertension is the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor for all these diseases, modification of antihypertensive strategies could have a considerable effect in delaying these degenerative diseases, thus further improving life expectancy.