Hypotensive Episodes Identified on 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Impaired Cognitive Function: Insights From the SPRINT Study.

Background: Hypotensive episodes detected by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring capture daily cumulative hypotensive stress and could be clinically relevant to cognitive impairment, but this relationship remains unclear.

Methods: We included participants from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (receiving intensive or standard BP treatment) who had 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring measured near the 27-month visit and subsequent biannual cognitive assessments. We evaluated the associations of hypotensive episodes (defined as systolic BP drops of ≥20 mm Hg between 2 consecutive measurements that reached <100 mm Hg) and hypotensive duration (cumulative time of systolic BP <100 mm Hg) with subsequent cognitive function using adjusted linear mixed models.

Baroreflex Sensitivity and Long-Term Dementia Risk in Older Adults.

Background: Increased blood pressure (BP) variability is linked to dementia risk, but the relationship between baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), a fundamental mechanism for maintaining stable BP, and dementia risk is undetermined.

Methods: We tested the hypothesis that impaired BRS is associated with increased dementia risk in 1819 older adults (63% women; age, 71.0±6.

Home Ambient Temperature and Self-reported Attention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background: Climate change is expected to disrupt weather patterns across the world, exposing older adults to more intense and frequent periods of hot weather. Meanwhile, lab-based studies have established a causal relationship between ambient temperature and cognitive abilities, suggesting the expected rise in temperature may influence older adults' cognitive functioning. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether, and to what extent, the temperature variations in older adults' own homes - which unlike lab settings is under their control - influence their cognitive functioning.

Orthostatic and Standing Hypertension and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: Orthostatic hypertension is an emerging risk factor for adverse events. Recent consensus statements combine an increase in blood pressure upon standing with standing hypertension, but whether these 2 components have similar risk associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unknown.

Methods: The ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) measured supine and standing blood pressure during visit 1 (1987-1989).

Comparison of targeted web-based advertising versus traditional methods for recruiting older adults into clinical trials.

Background: Recruiting older adults into clinical trials can be particularly challenging. Our objective was to determine if targeted web-based advertising is an effective recruitment strategy.

Methods: We compared the recruitment rates of traditional and targeted web-based methods for three representative clinical trials involving older adults.