Effect of different durations of treatment with antihypertensive drugs with anticholinergic effects on the risk of dementia: a target trial emulation study

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The study emulated a target trial to assess the impact of antihypertensive drugs with anticholinergic properties on dementia risk.
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Longer treatment durations (>6 years) with antihypertensive drugs showed a reduced risk of vascular dementia compared to shorter durations.
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The risk ratio for vascular dementia with >6 years of treatment was 0.69, indicating a modest benefit.
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Null results were found when comparing treatment durations of 3-6 years versus ≤3 years for both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
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The study highlights the importance of target trial emulation to mitigate selection bias in treatment duration evaluations.

American Journal Of Epidemiology

by Jaume Aguado, Lia Gutierrez, Joan Forns, Julia Vila-Guilera, Kenneth J Rothman, Xabier García-Albéniz
August 6, 2024

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