Risk of Dementia During Antihypertensive Drug Therapy in the Elderly (JACC April 2024-1)-Article: Risk of Dementia During Antihypertensive Drug Therapy in the Elderly

Article: Risk of Dementia During Antihypertensive Drug Therapy in the Elderly

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The study aimed to investigate the impact of antihypertensive drug therapy on the risk of dementia in elderly patients. The research was conducted on a cohort of 215,547 elderly individuals in Lombardy, Italy, who initiated antihypertensive treatment between 2009 and 2012. The study found that adherence to antihypertensive drug therapy was associated with a lower risk of dementia in the elderly population. Patients with high exposure to treatment had a 24% reduced risk of dementia compared to those with very low exposure. The beneficial effect of treatment extended to very old and frail patients, with consistent risk reduction across different age groups and clinical statuses. The findings suggest that antihypertensive drug treatment plays a significant role in reducing the risk of dementia in older hypertensive individuals. The study highlighted the importance of long-term exposure to antihypertensive drugs in realizing the protective effects against cognitive decline leading to dementia. The research also emphasized the need for further studies to explore the differences in the effectiveness of various antihypertensive drugs in preventing or delaying cognitive impairment.

Keywords

antihypertensive drug therapy

risk of dementia

elderly patients

Lombardy Italy

adherence to treatment

cognitive decline

hypertensive individuals

long-term exposure

protective effects

cognitive impairment