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Orthostatic hypotension is associated with lower cognitive performance in adults aged 50 plus with supine

John Frewen1, Ciaran Finucane2, George M Savva3

  • 1The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Department of Medical Gerontology, Lincoln gate, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. frewenj@tcd.ie.

The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
|November 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Supine hypertension (SH) combined with orthostatic hypotension (OH) is linked to poorer cognitive function, particularly in global and executive domains. This association was not observed in individuals without SH.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Neurology
  • Aging Research

Background:

  • Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and supine hypertension (SH) are common blood pressure abnormalities.
  • These conditions may impact cerebrovascular health and cognitive function, especially in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between orthostatic hypotension (OH), supine hypertension (SH), and cognitive performance.
  • To determine if the presence of SH modifies the association between OH and cognition.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 4,690 participants from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).
  • Blood pressure measured in supine and standing positions to define SH and OH.
  • Cognitive performance assessed across multiple domains (global, executive, processing speed, memory, attention).
  • Multivariate adjusted analyses comparing cognitive scores based on OH and SH status.

Main Results:

  • Thirty-nine percent of participants had baseline SH.
  • Individuals with SH showed a higher prevalence of OH and lower cognitive scores across all domains.
  • No overall association between OH and cognitive performance was found in the general cohort.
  • However, SH participants with OH performed significantly worse in global cognition and executive function compared to SH participants without OH.

Conclusions:

  • Supine hypertension (SH) coupled with orthostatic hypotension (OH) is associated with diminished global and executive cognitive performance.
  • The detrimental effect of OH on cognition appears specific to individuals with co-existing SH.
  • These findings highlight the importance of monitoring blood pressure dynamics in relation to cognitive health in older adults.
Abstract

Keywords:
Blood pressureCognitive agingNeurological disorders.

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