December 23, 2003Neurology
Low blood pressure and the risk of dementia in very old individuals
Key result
Each 10-mm Hg decrement in diastolic blood pressure was associated with an increased risk of incident dementia in adults over age 75 (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.03-1.40).
Why the study?
Does low blood pressure increase the risk of incident dementia in community-dwelling elderly individuals over age 75?
Population
406 community-dwelling elderly individuals over age 75, dementia-free at baseline
Comparison
Low blood pressure vs Normal blood pressure
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
median 6.7 years
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
Supports caution with aggressive diastolic BP lowering in those over 75; hypothesis-generating for dementia prevention trials.
Study Design
Type
Cohort (n=406)
Structured PICO
Does low blood pressure increase the risk of incident dementia in community-dwelling elderly individuals over age 75?
P
Population
406 community-dwelling elderly individuals over age 75, dementia-free at baseline, followed for a median of 6.7 years.
E
Exposure
Low blood pressure (diastolic and mean arterial pressure)
C
Comparator
Normal blood pressure
O
Outcome
Incident dementia (diagnosed using DSM-III-R criteria)hard clinical
Main Result
Hazard Ratio: 1.2 (95% CI 1.03–1.4)
In elderly individuals over age 75, low diastolic blood pressure is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease.
Cite This Study
Verghese et al. (2003) conducted a cohort in Dementia (n=406). Low blood pressure vs. Normal blood pressure was evaluated on Incident dementia (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.40). Each 10-mm Hg decrement in diastolic blood pressure was associated with an increased risk of incident dementia in adults over age 75 (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.03-1.40).