The prognostic role of high blood pressure and the aggressiveness of blood pressure lowering in dementia are not well characterized. OBJECTIVE To assess whether office blood pressure, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, or the use of antihypertensive drugs (AHDs) predict the progression of cognitive decline in patients with overt dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cohort study between June 1, 2009, and December 31, 2012, with a median 9-month follow-up of patients with dementia and MCI in 2 outpatient memory clinics. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cognitive decline, defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score change between baseline and follow-up. RESULTS We analyzed 172 patients, with a mean (SD) age of 79 (5) years and a mean (SD) MMSE score of 22.1 (4.4). Among them, 68.0% had dementia, 32.0% had MCI, and 69.8% were being treated with AHDs. Patients in the lowest tertile of daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP) (Յ128 mm Hg) showed a greater MMSE score change (mean [SD], −2.8 [3.8]) compared with patients in the intermediate tertile (129-144 mm Hg) (mean [SD], −0.7 [2.5]; P = .002) and patients in the highest tertile (Ն145 mm Hg) (mean [SD], −0.7 [3.7]; P = .003). The association was significant in the dementia and MCI subgroups only among patients treated with AHDs. In a multivariable model that included age, baseline MMSE score, and vascular comorbidity score, the interaction term between low daytime SBP tertile and AHD treatment was independently associated with a greater cognitive decline in both subgroups. The association between office SBP and MMSE score change was weaker. Other ambulatory blood pressure monitoring variables were not associated with MMSE score change. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Low daytime SBP was independently associated with a greater progression of cognitive decline in older patients with dementia and MCI among those treated with AHDs. Excessive SBP lowering may be harmful for older patients with cognitive impairment. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can be useful to help avoid high blood pressure overtreatment in this population.

The prognostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) for risk stratification of patients aged ≥ 80 years is not clearly defined. A follow-up of 3 ± 2 years for major cardiac events and all-cause mortality was obtained in 227 patients, age ≥ 80 years, who underwent DSE for known or suspected coronary artery disease. Stress function index (SFI), calculated as the ratio of peak wall motion score index to left ventricular ejection fraction, was analyzed both as continuous variable and categorized using the mean value of 5 as the cut-off. Only 95 patients (42%) of this group underwent a cycloergometer exercise stress test (EST). During DSE 118 patients developed inducible ischemia; SFI was 4.9 ± 2.6 and 60 subjects showed a value higher than 5. EST gave a positive result in 12 patients and a negative result in 8 patients; it was inconclusive for inadequate increase in heart rate in 75 (79%) subjects. Advanced age (HR: 1.184/year, 95% CI: 1.073-1.306, p = 0.001) and SFI ≥ 5 (HR: 2.682, 95% CI: 1.429-5.035, p = 0.002) were independent predictors of all-cause mortality; advanced age (HR: 1.252/year, 95% CI: 1.064-1.473, p = 0.007), SFI ≥ 5 (HR: 3.181, 95% CI: 1.174-8.621, p = 0.02) and presence of left bundle branch block (HR: 3.060, 95% CI: 1.057-8.862, p = 0.039) independently predicted an increased occurrence of major cardiac events. No parameter derived from EST showed an independent prognostic role. DSE showed a significant prognostic value in octogenarians, both for all-cause mortality and major cardiac events.

Background: Delirium is a common and potentially preventable condition in older individuals admitted to acute and intensive care wards, associated with negative prognostic effects. Its clinical relevance is being increasingly recognised also in cardiology settings. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence, incidence, predictors and prognostic role of delirium in older individuals admitted to two cardiology intensive care units. Methods: All patients aged over 65 years consecutively admitted to the two participating cardiology intensive care units were enrolled. Assessment on admission included acute physiological derangement (modified rapid emergency medicine score, REMS), chronic comorbidity, premorbid disability and dementia. The Confusion Assessment Method–Intensive Care Unit was applied daily for delirium detection. Results: Of 497 patients (40% women, mean age 79 years), 18% had delirium over the entire cardiology intensive care unit course, half of whom more than 24 hours after admission (incident delirium). Advanced age, a main diagnosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction or acute respiratory failure, modified REMS, comorbidity and dementia were independent predictors of delirium. Adjusting for patient’s features on admission, incident delirium was predicted by invasive procedures (insertion of peripheral arterial catheter, urinary catheter, central venous catheter, naso-gastric tube and intra-aortic balloon pump). In a logistic regression model, delirium was an independent predictor of inhospital mortality (odds ratio 3.18, 95% confidence interval 1.02, 9.93). Conclusions: Eighteen per cent of older cardiology intensive care unit patients had delirium, with half of the cases being incident, thus potentially preventable. Invasive procedures were independently associated with incident delirium. Delirium was an independent predictor of inhospital mortality. Awareness of delirium should be increased in the cardiology intensive care unit setting and prevention studies are warranted.