By Kelly Young
Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP, FHM
Antihypertensive treatment is associated with slightly lower risk for dementia or cognitive impairment, according to a JAMA meta-analysis.
Researchers examined data from 12 randomized trials that compared cognitive outcomes between participants assigned to antihypertensive drugs and those randomized to controls (placebo, alternative antihypertensive drug, or higher blood pressure target). Some 92,000 participants were included.
During a mean 4 years’ follow-up, treatment to lower blood pressure was associated with a statistically significantly lower rate of incident dementia or cognitive impairment (7.0% vs. 7.5% for controls).