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Hypertension, brain damage and cognitive decline
Gąsecki D, Kwarciany M, Nyka W, Narkiewicz K.. Current hypertension reports, 2013-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Loss of cognitive function is one the most devastating manifestations of ageing and vascular disease. Cognitive decline is rapidly becoming an important cause of disability worldwide and contributes significantly to increased mortality. There is growing evidence that hypertension is the most important modifiable vascular risk factor for development and progression of both cognitive decline and dementia. High blood pressure contributes to cerebral small and large vessel disease resulting in brain damage and dementia. A decline in cerebrovascular reserve capacity and emerging degenerative vascular wall changes underlie complete and incomplete brain infarcts, haemorrhages and white matter hyperintensities. This review discusses the complexity of factors linking hypertension to brain functional and structural changes, and to cognitive decline and dementia. The evidence for possible clinical markers useful for prevention of decreased cognitive ability, as well as recent data on vascular mechanism in the pathogenesis of cognitive decline, and the role of antihypertensive therapies in long-term prevention of late-life cognitive decline will be reviewed.
Key findings
- Cognitive decline is rapidly becoming an important cause of disability worldwide and contributes significantly to increased mortality.
Why it matters
This review states that hypertension is the most important modifiable vascular risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, contributing to small and large vessel disease and brain damage. It reviews mechanisms and the potential role of antihypertensive therapy, but does not itself show that lowering blood pressure prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Current hypertension reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Current Hypertension Reports: journal h-index 118 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 212 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 14.1 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 40 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Krzysztof Narkiewicz: h-index 82 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Gdańsk Medical University: institution h-index 365 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24146223) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s11906-013-0398-4
- PubMed: 24146223
- Original source →
- Free full text: Current Hypertension Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gąsecki, D., Kwarciany, M., Nyka, W., & Narkiewicz, K. (2013). Hypertension, brain damage and cognitive decline. Current hypertension reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-013-0398-4
Vancouver
Gąsecki D, Kwarciany M, Nyka W, Narkiewicz K. Hypertension, brain damage and cognitive decline. Current hypertension reports. 2013. doi:10.1007/s11906-013-0398-4. PMID: 24146223.
BibTeX
@article{gasecki2013-24146223,
author = {Gąsecki, D. and Kwarciany, M. and Nyka, W. and Narkiewicz, K.},
title = {{Hypertension, brain damage and cognitive decline}},
journal = {Current hypertension reports},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1007/s11906-013-0398-4},
pmid = {24146223},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-013-0398-4}
}
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