Effects of blood pressure in people with cognitive disorders
Effects of blood pressure in people with cognitive disorders

Summary/Abstract: Elevated blood pressure has often been correlated with a higher risk of cognitive dysfunction, but this association is still not well-defined in the literature. The aim of our study was to toreview the possible effects of blood pressure on cognitive functioning. Cognitive disorders are characterized by changes in brain structure and function that affect learning, orientation, judgement, memory and overall intellectual abilities. The examination of the mental state is analogous to the examination of the somatic state, through the physical examination within aconsultation with the doctor, and constitutes a scheme of recording the findings related to the patient's thinking, feeling and behavior. To find out about the integrity of the central nervous system, cognitive functions have to be evaluated, each function referring to a different regionof the brain. Impaired cognitive function can be found in depression, dementia or delirium.High blood pressure can influence cognitive functioning in the absence of dementia or severe cardiovascular diseases. An exception appears in the elderly, where higher blood pressure can be viewed as a possible protective factor for cognitive functioning. The results highlight that higher blood pressure is often associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline. In order to prevent the risk of decreased cognitive function associated with hypertension, blood pressure should be monitored even before reaching clinical hypertension.

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