Impact of hypertension on cognitive performance in individuals with high level of education

Abstract

Education is considered to provide a cognitive and neurological reserve through neuronal changes or increased efficacy of processing networks. The hypothesis of cognitive reserve asserts that older individuals with greater experiential resources exhibit better cognitive functioning and are able to tolerate higher levels of brain pathology before displaying clinical symptoms. Hypertension is linked to cognitive impairment. We evaluated the impact of hypertension on cognitive performance in hypertensive patients with high level of education. In a cross-sectional study 163 patients (61 normotensive and 102 hypertensive) with 9 or higher schooling years were comparatively evaluated. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure (BP) levels ≥140/90 mmHg or use of antihypertensive drugs. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and a validated comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests that assessed 6 main cognitive domains were used to determine cognitive function. Hypertension group had higher weigh, BMI and lower education level and family income. Hypertension group performed worse either on MMSE (27.7 ± 1.9 vs 28.3 ± 1.7, p=0.049) or MoCA (25.2 ± 2.6 vs 26.1 ± 2.5, p=0.022); similar poorer performance in hypertensive group were also seen at different domains on neuropsychological evaluation. We concluded that even in those with high level of education, patients with hypertension have poorer cognitive performance compared to control pairs.

Risk of Post Stroke Pneumonia During Hospitalization

“…Characteristics of stroke onset hypertension are known to be the most common stroke risk factor (Muela et al, 2017;O'Donnell et al, 2010). Other characteristics that indicate the risk of PSP occur in patients with decreased level of consciousness, dysphagia, and hemiparesis.…”