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The Effect of Hypertension on Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Meta- Analysis
Maryam Mohammed Ali Ahmed, Jamila Saeed Ahmad Bin Kowayer, Amna Lootah, Sara Ibrahim Alhammdi, Fatima Ahmed Sultan Alshamsi, Maha Almheiri, Reem Ibrahim Ali, Abeer Alhosani et al.. Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, 2025-03-05
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Hypertension is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, but its relationship with cognitive impairment and dementia is an emerging area of study. This meta-analysis intends to examine the relationship between hypertension and cognitive impairment by combining data from several studies in an attempt to establish the level of correlation. The studies in the analysis include longitudinal cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that look at cognitive outcomes in different domains, such as global cognition, executive function, memory, and attention. According to studies regarding hypertension, patients suffering from it showed a much higher risk score (38%) of cognitive impairment than normotensives. Furthermore, it has been noted that midlife Hypertension (ages 40-65) has the worst effect on late-life dementia compared to most late-life hypertension. There are some variations as late-life hypertension appears to be less strongly associated with risk, suggesting some form of disease-modifying interaction. Mechanistically, cognitive decline impairment due to hypertension can be attributed primarily to cerebrovascular damage, neuroinflammation, increased oxidative stress, and amyloid pathologies causing neurodegeneration and hyper-susceptibility to dementia. This research constitutes a further examination of cognition decline in the context of the effects of anxiety hypertension treatment. ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockade drugs are believed to have some degree of neuroprotection by increasing cerebral blood flow and lowering inflammatory processes, which could lead to neurocognitive disorders. This meta-analysis adds to the evidence of hypertension as a new risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline; thus, it necessitates such risk assessment at early stages, lifestyle changes and optimal pharmacotherapy. Such initiatives must strive to foster adherence to treatment, recognition of hypertension, and the definition of the cognitive domain in the broader cardiovascular risk framework for dementia prevention.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Ahmed, M. M. A., Kowayer, J. S. A. B., Lootah, A., Alhammdi, S. I., Alshamsi, F. A. S., Almheiri, M., et al. (2025). The Effect of Hypertension on Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Meta- Analysis. Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine. https://doi.org/10.26502/fccm.92920425
Vancouver
Ahmed MMA, Kowayer JSAB, Lootah A, Alhammdi SI, Alshamsi FAS, Almheiri M, et al. The Effect of Hypertension on Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Meta- Analysis. Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine. 2025. doi:10.26502/fccm.92920425.
BibTeX
@article{ahmed2025-9ee4e49b,
author = {Ahmed, Maryam Mohammed Ali and Kowayer, Jamila Saeed Ahmad Bin and Lootah, Amna and Alhammdi, Sara Ibrahim and Alshamsi, Fatima Ahmed Sultan and Almheiri, Maha and Ali, Reem Ibrahim and Alhosani, Abeer and others},
title = {{The Effect of Hypertension on Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Meta- Analysis}},
journal = {Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.26502/fccm.92920425},
url = {https://doi.org/10.26502/fccm.92920425}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- According to studies regarding hypertension, patients suffering from it showed a much higher risk score (38%) of cognitive impairment than normotensives.
- Furthermore, it has been noted that midlife Hypertension (ages 40-65) has the worst effect on late-life dementia compared to most late-life hypertension.
- There are some variations as late-life hypertension appears to be less strongly associated with risk, suggesting some form of disease-modifying interaction.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis found that people with hypertension had a 38% higher risk score for cognitive impairment than those without it, with midlife hypertension having the strongest link to late-life dementia. It describes associations and proposed mechanisms, so it does not show that treating hypertension prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record and institution's track record, so those were left out: it earned 46 of the 93 points we could judge it on, which is 49 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine: journal h-index 13 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 4 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 4 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author IY Hussein holds only 7 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 46 / 93 | Scored on 18 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 46 of the 93 points we could judge it on is 49 out of 100. |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.26502/fccm.92920425
- Original source →
- Free full text: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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