Associations Between the Prevalence, Treatment, Control of Hypertension and Cognitive Trajectories Among Chinese Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the associations between the prevalence, treatment, control of hypertension, and trajectories of cognitive performance among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. DesignAn 8-year longitudinal study. SettingChina. ParticipantsChinese middle-aged and older adults. MeasurementsData from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were utilized. Group-based trajectory modeling was performed to identify heterogeneous trajectories of episodic memory and executive function. Multinomial logistic regression models were established to examine the relationships between hypertension status and cognitive trajectories, stratified by sex. ResultsThree episodic memory trajectories and four executive function trajectories were identified in males and females. Hypertension prevalence was associated with worse episodic memory and executive function trajectories in females. Compared with treated hypertensives, untreated hypertensives were more likely to have worse executive function trajectories, both in males and females. Among male treated hypertensives, those with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) had worse episodic memory trajectories compared with their counterparts with controlled at standard targets, while females with uncontrolled BP demonstrated worse executive function trajectories compared with females controlled at standard targets. There was basically no significant difference in cognitive trajectory memberships between individuals with controlled hypertension corresponding to intensive or standard BP targets. ConclusionsThe prevalence of hypertension was associated with worse cognitive trajectories, and the treatment and control of hypertension were related to more favorable cognitive trajectories. Intensive BP control target was not associated with additional benefit beyond the recognized protective effect of standard BP targets on cognitive trajectories.