Treatment of cognitive impairment in arterial hypertension

Abstract

Cognitive impairment (CI) is one of the earliest and most frequent neurological disorders in patients with arterial hypertension. Arterial hypertension is a leading modifiable risk factor for stroke and cerebral microangiopathy, which underlies the development of non-stroke associated CI. Antihypertensive therapy plays an essential role in preventing the development and slowing the progression of CI by controlling blood pressure. The review discusses the use of memantine – a reversible inhibitor of NMDA receptors (akatinol memantine) – in vascular CI.

Keywords

• arterial hypertension
• cognitive impairment
• dementia
• antihypertensive therapy
• stroke
• microangiopathy
• memantine