Effects of hypertension therapy based on eprosartan on systolic arterial blood pressure and cognitive function: primary results of the Observational Study on Cognitive function And Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction open-label study.

Background: Recent studies have indicated a relationship between hypertension and cognitive function but therapeutic trials of antihypertensive therapy on the prevention of cognitive disorders have produced controversial findings.

Methods: The Observational Study on Cognitive function And Systolic Blood Pressure Reduction is an open-label trial in 28 countries designed to evaluate the impact of eprosartan-based therapy on cognitive function. The Mini-Mental State Examination was used as a global tool for the comprehensive assessment of cognitive function, with an intention to treat a cohort of 25 745 hypertensive patients aged at least 50 years during a follow-up interval of 6 months.

Rationale, design and methods of the OSCAR study: observational study on cognitive function and systolic blood pressure reduction in hypertensive patients.

Data from several recent clinical trials have suggested a beneficial effect of antihypertensive medications on preservation of cognitive function. Eprosartan, an angiotensin type-1 receptor antagonist (ARA) with dual action on both pre- and postsynaptic angiotensin type 1 receptors, may be effective in the control of SBP and the prevention of cognitive decline. The OSCAR (Observational Study on Cognitive function And SBP Reduction) study is an international longitudinal observational study with a duration of 6 months intended to examine the impact of the ARA eprosartan on cognitive function (assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]) and control of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in a large international population of hypertensive patients managed in a standard primary care setting.