Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Hypertension

Publisher

American Heart Association

Publication Date

Spring 2010

First Page

1360

Last Page

1365

Volume Number

55

Abstract/ Summary

We examined the hypothesis that lowered cognitive performance plays a role in the relation between elevated blood pressure and physical disability in performing basic physical tasks. A community-based sample (N = 1025) free from stroke and dementia (mean age: 61.1 years; SD: 13.0 years; 59.8% women) was used. Using path analysis, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (predictor variable) measured over multiple longitudinal examinations were averaged and related to multiple measures of cognition (intermediate variable) and physical ability (PA; outcome variable) measured at wave 6 of the Maine-Syracuse Study. PA was indexed by time required to execute standing, walking, and turning tests. A best-fit path model including blood pressure and multiple demographic and cardiovascular disease covariates was used. Paths from systolic blood pressure toglobal performance, verbal memory, andabstract reasoning (Similarities test) were significant (P

Publisher Statement

© 2010 American Heart Association, Inc.

DOI

10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.110.149823

Version

publisher's version of the published document

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