Blood pressure variability and cognitive dysfunction: What is the cause and what is the consequence?

Abstract

We read with great interest the paper entitled “Blood pressure variability and cognitive dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies” recently published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension.1 The authors concluded that high variability of systolic blood pressure was associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia but not an increased incidence of cognitive decline on neuropsychological examinations. Their results also showed significant positive correlations with all-cause dementia risk but not when Alzheimer's disease-related dementia and vascular dementia were considered separately.