Something as simple as taking a drug that costs pennies a day could one day reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease . That’s the intriguing finding from a Johns Hopkins analysis of previously gathered data, which found that people who took commonly prescribed blood pressure medications were half as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as those who didn’t. Researchers have known about the link between blood pressure and Alzheimer’s for years. In 2013, investigators showed that older people with high blood pressure, or hypertension , were more likely to have biomarkers of Alzheimer’s in their spinal fluid. Another study found that the more blood pressure varied over an eight-year period, the greater the risk of dementia .

Inside the Brain-Blood Pressure Link

What’s the connection? High blood pressure can damage small blood vessels in the brain, affecting parts of the brain responsible for thinking and memory. So can controlling blood pressure through medication also lower Alzheimer’s risk? The recent Johns Hopkins report published in the journal Neurology confirmed earlier work from Johns Hopkins researchers that found the use of potassium-sparing diuretics reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s nearly 75 percent, while people who took any type of antihypertensive medication lowered their risk by about a third. “What we found was that if you didn’t have Alzheimer’s and you were taking blood pressure medication, you were somewhat less likely to develop dementia. And if you had dementia from Alzheimer’s disease and you took certain antihypertensive, the disease was less likely to progress,” explains Constantine Lyketsos, M.D., director of the Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center at Johns Hopkins. “It’s not clear if the connection comes from managing the blood pressure better or if the particular drugs might have properties that interfere with other processes relating to Alzheimer’s.” He says he suspects both play a role. Stay tuned for results of further research, but in the meantime, learn ways to manage your risk of hypertension.

Bring Down Blood Pressure Now

While more research investigates the brain benefits of blood pressure meds, you can play it smart by taking healthy lifestyle steps to keep blood pressure in a healthy range. Here are some of the best strategies.

Eat real.

That means nixing processed foods—even canned vegetables, which are often high in sodium. Among the most successful blood-pressure-lowering diets are a Mediterranean diet or DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). Both diets are high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains , low-fat dairy, poultry, fish and nuts, but low in harmful fats, red meat, sweets and sugary drinks. The effects can be quick, with blood pressure reductions in just two weeks.

Shed extra weight.

In one analysis of 25 clinical trials, losing an average of 11 pounds shaved 4.4 points off systolic blood pressure (the top number) and 3.6 points off diastolic (the bottom number). Other studies have found that modest weight loss can prevent hypertension in overweight people, even if they don’t reduce the amount of sodium in their diet.

Check blood pressure at home.

Monitoring your blood pressure at home can improve blood pressure management more than just seeing your doctor. You can purchase automatic blood pressure cuffs for as little as $35; ask your doctor for a recommendation. Many pharmacies and drugstores also offer free blood pressure readings.