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Brain and Heart Dynamics pp 1–15Cite as

Cognitive Decline in Elderly Patients with Hypertensive Heart Disease

Role of Atrial Fibrillation

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Abstract

The elderly population is increasing worldwide together with the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and chronic heart failure. In particular, aging is considered a risk factor for the development of hypertension, due to functional and structural changes induced in blood vessels (e.g., endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling), which widely overlap the functional and structural changes induced by hypertension. At the same time, both hypertension and aging predispose to the development of other cardiovascular diseases, in particular, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, but also of neurocognitive disorders. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between increased blood pressure and cognitive impairment are not fully understood. This chapter aims to analyze the role of atrial fibrillation in the development of cognitive decline in elderly patients with hypertensive heart disease, underlining the role of atrial fibrillation in determining both these conditions and suggesting the hypothesis of a heart-brain continuum among hypertensive heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and cognitive impairment.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    Ilaria Liguori, Francesco Curcio, Pasquale Abete & Gianluca Testa

  2. Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy

    Gianluca Testa

Authors
  1. Ilaria Liguori
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  2. Francesco Curcio
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  3. Pasquale Abete
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  4. Gianluca Testa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gianluca Testa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Sect, University of Pavia, Dept of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Sect, Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Stefano Govoni

  2. Dept of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia Dept of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Pierluigi Politi

  3. Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Department of Molecular Medicine, Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Emilio Vanoli

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Drug Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Pavia, Pavia, I am not in the U.S. or Canada, Italia

    Alessia Pascale

  2. Dipartimento Cardiovascolare, Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy

    Emilia d'Elia

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Liguori, I., Curcio, F., Abete, P., Testa, G. (2019). Cognitive Decline in Elderly Patients with Hypertensive Heart Disease. In: Govoni, S., Politi, P., Vanoli, E. (eds) Brain and Heart Dynamics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90305-7_8-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90305-7_8-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-90305-7

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