US Pharm. 2013;38(11):6.
Baltimore, MD—A post hoc analysis of data from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study (GEMS) strongly suggests that the use of some blood pressure medications may reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia. GEMS, which was conducted for 6 years, involved 3,069 subjects aged 75 to 96 years. In the post hoc analysis, Johns Hopkins researchers found that AD dementia risk was lessened by at least 50% in subjects with normal cognition who took diuretics, ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin-1 receptor blockers to control blood pressure. Diuretics also were associated with a 50% reduced risk in subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers were not linked to a reduced risk of AD dementia.
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