On 15 May 2024, a study on antihypertensive medication classes and risk of incident dementia in primary care patients was published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health - Europe. This was a longitudinal cohort study conducted in the Netherlands. Hypertension is a modifiable risk factor for dementia affecting over 70% of individuals older than 60. Lowering dementia risk through preferential treatment with antihypertensive medication (AHM) classes that are otherwise equivalent in indication could offer a cost-effective, safe, and accessible approach to reducing dementia incidence globally, write the researchers responsible for the study. Certain AHM-classes have been associated with lower dementia risk, potentially attributable to angiotensin-II-receptor (Ang-II) stimulating properties.
Previous study results have been inconclusive, however, and the researchers thought this was possibly due to heterogeneous methodology and limited power. They therefore aimed to comprehensively investigate associations between AHM (sub-)classes and dementia risk using large-scale continuous, real-world prescription and outcome data from primary care. They used data from three Dutch General Practice Registration Networks. Primary endpoints were clinical diagnosis of incident all-cause dementia and mortality. Using Cox regression analysis with time-dependent covariates, they compared the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) to angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta blockers, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and diuretics; and Ang-II-stimulating- to Ang-II-inhibiting AHM.
Among patients receiving AHM, ARBs, CCBs, and Ang-II-stimulating AHM were associated with lower dementia risk, without excess mortality explaining these results. Extensive subgroup and sensitivity analyses suggested that confounding by indication did not importantly influence these findings. The researchers state that dementia risk may be influenced by AHM-classes’ angiotensin-II-receptor stimulating properties. An RCT comparing BP treatment with different AHM classes with dementia as outcome is warranted, they conclude. Study link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776224000942