Hypercholesterolemia does not worsen cognitive decline in arterial hypertension

The presence of hypercholesterolemia shows no negative impact on cognitive function among individuals with hypertension, reports a study.

“Furthermore, our current findings support the hypothesis that antihypertensive treatment, in the absence of strict blood pressure control, may be insufficient to prevent hypertension-related cognitive decline,” the researchers said.

This study determined whether hypercholesterolemia exacerbates cognitive decline in hypertensive rats and human patients. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with diet-induced hypercholesterolemia underwent behavioural testing on recognition, spatial, and working memory. Patients with stage 2 hypertension had their cognitive function assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) instruments.

Hypercholesterolemia did not affect the cognitive performance of SHRs. Treatment with amlodipine or captopril reduced arterial pressure in SHRs, but this did not lead to improved cognition performance. On the other hand, the MMSE and MoCA revealed cognitive impairment in 87.1 percent and 97.6 percent of patients with hypertension, respectively. However, the mean scores between those with and without hypercholesterolemia showed no significant differences.

Furthermore, the use of antihypertensive or lipid-lowering agents did not demonstrate a significant association with cognitive scores.

“Arterial hypertension has been linked to cognitive decline, potentially through cerebrovascular alterations and associations with Alzheimer's disease,” the researchers said.