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AlzRisk Meta-Analysis
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Risk Factor: Blood Pressure
  (BP, DBP, diastolic, diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, hypotension, pulse pressure, SBP, systolic, systolic blood pressure)
Risk Factor Type: Chronic disease, Metabolic
Current Understanding:
The tables below present inconsistent data on the relationship between blood pressure and AD and total dementia. There is a suggestion of an age-dependent relationship, i.e., hypertension may be harmful in midlife and protective in late-life. However, few studies have specifically considered the association between midlife blood pressure and AD, and it is possible that that bias (in particular reverse causation or selection bias) might account for any protective association in late-life. Further research is necessary and should focus on the impact of blood pressure in midlife, on potential modifying effect of anti-hypertensive drug use, and on quantifying the potential that selection bias or reverse causation might account for the observed associations. Despite the uncertainty regarding the relationship between blood pressure and risk of AD, the benefits of blood pressure control on cardiovascular risk are sufficient to justify current treatment standards. For a discussion of the putative mechanisms by which blood pressure may influence AD risk and commentary on interpreting the findings below in a broader context, please see the Discussion. A longer review and discussion can be found in the published review and meta-analysis, Power MC, Weuve J, Gagne JJ, McQueen MB, Viswanathan A, Blacker D. The association between blood pressure and incident Alzheimer disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Epidemiology 2011;22:646-659).
Literature Extraction: Search strategy  * New *
Last Search Completed: 08 July 2017 - Last content update released on 1 Nov 2012.

Documentation

Meta-Analysis


Meta-Analysis Table
Meta-Analysis Methods

Hypertension - categorical
Meta-Analysis Graph

Please also see disclaimer for more information on these meta-analyses.