This review of over 50 clinical studies evaluated whether antihypertensive medications worsen, improve, or leave unaltered objectively measured cognitive skills, particularly in the elderly.
Do antihypertensive medications alter objectively measured cognitive skills in patients with essential hypertension?
This review collates evidence from over 50 clinical studies to evaluate the impact of various antihypertensive medications on cognitive function, particularly in the elderly.
A growing proportion of the general population is being prescribed antihypertensive medications for the long-term treatment of essential hypertension. Untreated hypertensive individuals exhibit some neuropsychological performance decrements, and numerous researchers have sought to determine whether drug therapy for hypertension worsens, improves, or leaves unaltered objectively measured cognitive skills. These issues may be especially important in the elderly, among whom both high blood pressure and compromised cognitive function are common. In this review, we collate the findings of more than 50 clinical studies according to class of antihypertensive medication studied and domains of neuropsychological performance assessed. Special attention is given to investigations of elderly subjects, and a critical summary is provided.
Muldoon et al. (1995) conducted a review in Essential hypertension. Antihypertensive medications was evaluated on Neuropsychological performance. This review of over 50 clinical studies evaluated whether antihypertensive medications worsen, improve, or leave unaltered objectively measured cognitive skills, particularly in the elderly.