Natriuretic Peptides as a Biomarker of Cognitive Decline in Hypertension

Cognitive decline and dementia are frequent consequences of atherosclerosis and hypertension. Indeed, recent guidelines have identified cognitive decline as a major consequence of high blood pressure and one of the therapeutic targets in hypertension. Unfortunately, early assessment of cognitive decline in the clinical practice is often difficult due to the heterogeneity and the variable severity of the clinical presentations and manifestations. It would be of great help to rely on reproducible clinical markers that can herald the early onset of cognitive decline and can help in assessing the severity or guiding management on the basis of the response to treatment. In such a context, a link between natriuretic peptides (NPs), cognitive function and hypertension has been reported. The aim of this article is to analyse and update the available evidence in support of NPs as a potential biomarker of cognitive decline with regard to the context of hypertension and to identify potential future clinical diagnostic and therapeutic applications.