Related Experiment Videos
Systolic blood pressure within an intermediate range may reduce memory loss in an elderly hypertensive cohort
1Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Insights
Maintaining systolic blood pressure (BP) too high or too low in treated hypertensive patients may increase memory decline risk. Optimal BP regulation is key for cognitive health in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Hypertension is a prevalent condition in older adults.
- The impact of systolic blood pressure (BP) control on cognitive function in treated hypertensive patients remains an area of investigation.
- Memory decline is a significant concern for the aging population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between different systolic blood pressure (BP) ranges and memory decline in treated hypertensive patients.
- To determine if maintaining high or low systolic BP levels increases the risk of cognitive decline.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 158 treated hypertensive subjects underwent biennial neuropsychological evaluations.
- Memory decline was assessed annually using the Cued Selective Reminding test (total free recall and delayed recall).
- Subjects were categorized into three systolic BP groups: low (<135 mm Hg), intermediate (135-150 mm Hg), and high (>150 mm Hg).
Main Results:
- Patients in the high systolic BP group (>150 mm Hg) exhibited the greatest decline in total free recall.
- Patients in the low systolic BP group (<135 mm Hg) showed the greatest decline in delayed recall.
- Significant differences in annual memory decline were observed across the three systolic BP groups for both total free recall (P=.02) and delayed recall (P=.04).
Conclusions:
- Chronically elevated systolic BP (>150 mm Hg) is linked to accelerated memory decline in treated hypertensive patients.
- Sustained low systolic BP (<135 mm Hg) may also be associated with accelerated memory decline, particularly in delayed recall.
- Optimizing systolic blood pressure (BP) control may serve as a modifiable risk factor to mitigate memory loss in older hypertensive individuals.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to determine if maintenance of systolic blood pressure (BP) within a high range or low range among treated hypertensive patients increases the risk of memory decline. Biennial neuropsychological evaluations were performed on 158 hypertensive subjects. Decline/year was measured on the Cued Selective Reminding test (total free recall and delayed recall) in three systolic BP groups (low-i.e., mean systolic BP during the follow-up period < 135 mm Hg; intermediate-i.e., 135 mm Hg < or = mean systolic BP < or = 150 mm Hg; high-i.e., mean systolic BP > 150 mm Hg). In total free recall, the three systolic BP groups had significantly different declines per year (P = .02), with patients in the high subgroup showing the greatest decline. In delayed recall, the three systolic BP groups also showed significantly different declines per year (P = .04), with patients in the low subgroup having the greatest decline. Chronically elevated systolic BP > 150 mm Hg is associated with accelerated memory decline compared to older treated hypertensive patients with systolic BP in an intermediate range. Chronically maintained systolic BP within a low normal range < 135 mm Hg in older treated hypertensive subjects may be associated with accelerated memory decline, specifically in a test of delayed memory recall, compared to patients with systolic BP in an intermediate range. Optimal regulation of systolic BP may be a potential modifiable risk factor to prevent or minimize memory loss in older hypertensive patients.