Abstract
Objective: This study was to investigate the effects of the angiotensin II (Ang II) AT1 receptor antagonist valsartan on blood pressure (BP) and cognitive functions in cerebrovascular hypertensive patients.
Methods: Nineteen patients aged 58–75 years with moderate essential hypertension (DBP > 90 mmHg and/or SBP > 140 mmHg, for more than six months after stroke onset) were assigned to once daily (o.d.) treatment with valsartan 80 mg for 8 months. The patients were examined every 4 months during the study, with pre-dose BP (standard mercury sphygmomanometer, Korotkoff I and IV) recorded at each visit. Cognitive function was evaluated at the pre-dose point and after 4 and 8 months of active treatment by means of four tests (MMSE, Trail making test A & B, WMS-R and Rey’s complex figure test).
Results: Valsartan had a clear antihypertensive effect, and led to a significantly greater reduction in SBP/DBP at 8 months (from 155.8/81.2 mmHg to 139.9/74.3 mmHg; paired-t test, 0.01). Valsartan significantly increased the verbal memory score (+8.1%; P < 0.01 vs baseline, Wilcoxon signed rank test), but did not induce any significant changes in any of the other cognitive function test scores.
Conclusion: These findings indicate that, in cerebrovascular hypertensive patients, 8 months of treatment with valsartan 80 mg o.d. is significantly effective in reducing BP, and improves some of the components of cognitive function, particularly verbal memory function.
