Taking older adults off their blood pressure medication was linked to slower cognitive decline, especially in those with dementia, a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found. “Our results ..
. suggest caution regarding intensive BP [blood pressure] control in older adults living in nursing homes, particularly those with cognitive impairment.” the authors wrote.
Researchers, primarily affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, Stanford University, and VA medical centers, conducted a study involving more than 12,000 nursing home residents to examine the relationship between blood pressure medication and cognitive decline. All participants had some level of cognitive dysfunction. The study took place over a 13-year period at VA long-term facilities where participants stayed for 12 weeks or longer.
The study was funded by a grant from the National Institute on Aging. “Our study suggests that deprescribing antihypertensives may protect nursing home residents from future cognitive losses, especially for those living with dementia,” the authors wrote. “While elevated blood pressure, BP, in midlife is a well-documented risk factor for cognitive decline, the optimal BP targets for older adults—especially those in nursing homes—remain unclear,” they wrote.
Previous clinical trials produced mixed results on the effects of blood pressure medication on reducing cognitive decline. The authors said that their study differed from others by focusing.