Relation of ambulatory blood pressure measurement and cognitive functions in hypertensive elderly patients

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is an important risk factor for dementia as much as the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease. Sustained hypertension is also more related to that risk. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and cognitive functions in elderly hypertensive patients without comorbid diseases which may deteriorate cognitive functions.

Materials and methods: Ninety-one patients (21 male, 72.5 ± 8.1;70 female, 71.7 ± 7.7) above 60 years old previously diagnosed as hypertensive (HT) have been included to this study. The ABPM was performed after standardized mini mental test (sMMT) and geriatric depression scale (GDS) has been examined. The patients were divided into the groups as dipper/nondipper and regulated/nonregulated. The sMMT scores of the groups were compared.

Results: There was no statistical difference in average sMMT scores and distribution of mini mental groups between the dipper and nondipper groups. Hypertension regulation and mini mental measurements of the studied groups were moderately suggestive in the same direction (r = 0.333, p = 0.001).

Discussion and conclusion: There is an association between tension regulation and cognitive functions in elderly patients who have primary HT, but no relationship have been found between being nondipper and low cognitive function. Our results suggested that this study is critically important by means of revealing that the studies which are perceived distinctly about HT and cognitive functions need further evaluation with subgroup analyses in selected patient groups.

Keywords: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Cognitive function; Dipper; Geriatric depression scale; Hypertension; Standardized mini mental test.