Relationship between late-life hypertension, blood pressure, and Alzheimer's disease

Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2011 Sep;26(6):457-62. doi: 10.1177/1533317511421779. Epub 2011 Sep 15.

Abstract

Relationship between late-life hypertension and Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains less clear. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal methods were used to examine whether systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and self-reported hypertension (S-HTN) in late life were associated with having and developing AD. The cross-sectional examination included 1768 individuals with AD and 818 nondemented individuals, and AD was not significantly associated with S-HTN or any of blood pressure measures (S-HTN: P = .236; SBP: P = .095; DBP: P = .429; PP: P = .145; MAP: P = .162). In the longitudinal examination, 594 nondemented individuals, 171 with and 423 without S-HTN at entry, were included. Diastolic blood pressure was significantly related to the development of AD (P = .030) but not S-HTN (P = .251), SBP (P = .294) PP (P = .919), and MAP (P = .060). The association underscores the necessity of further investigation to outline the detailed mechanisms and biological relevance, if any, of late-life DBP to later AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / epidemiology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology*
  • Blood Pressure / physiology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / epidemiology*
  • Hypertension / physiopathology*
  • Incidence
  • Logistic Models
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Risk Factors