Hypertension drugs offer a double whammy

May 7 2007

Researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the U.S. suggest that some medications taken for high blood pressure may have other uses.

The researchers believe the drugs may also be effective in preventing dementia and other cognitive diseases in senior citizens.

The drugs they are referring to are the so-called ACE inhibitors such as captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil or Zestril), perindopril (Aceon), ramipril (Altace) and trandolapril (Mavik).

These centrally acting ACE inhibitors could be protecting the brain by reducing inflammation, which has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease, or they might be increasing blood flow to the brain.

The researchers examined data from the long term Cardiovascular Health Study which is an examination of cardiovascular risk factors involving 5,888 people with an average age of 75.

Sixty four per cent of them were women, and the researchers found that of the group 1,074 did not suffer from dementia but were being medicated for high blood pressure.

These were of particular interest because of their exposure to ACE inhibitors generally, and also whether such drugs were linked to loss of memory and cognitive decline.

By using recognised tests the researchers were able to see a link between the taking of centrally acting ACE inhibitors on a yearly basis with a 50% decrease in the rates of intellectual deterioration compared to the effects on people resorting to other types of high blood pressure medication.

Assistant professor of gerontology and lead researcher in the investigation, Kaycee Sink says it makes sense for doctors to prescribe an ACE inhibitor that goes directly to the brain if they were going to prescribe one for blood pressure control anyway.

Sink says the results suggest that there is more to treating blood pressure than achieving BP levels of 140/80, as the drug used can have broader implications.

Sink says it is already known that ACE inhibitors protect against heart failure and kidney failure, but now there is evidence that some of them may also protect against dementia.

However the researchers do say that other factors such as a well balanced diet, exercise and keeping one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels low are still recommended as the best means of delaying dementia, Alzheimer's and other related diseases.

The findings were presented on May 5th at the American Geriatrics Society's annual meeting in Seattle.