MedPage Today (7/25, George) reports researchers found that “people who had orthostatic hypotension at an average age of 54 demonstrated a higher risk of dementia and ischemic stroke as they aged than people who didn’t have orthostatic hypotension.” The findings were published in Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Orthostatic Hypotension at Midlife Tied to Dementia, “Judy George, MedPage Today, July 25, 2018.

Medscape (7/25, Anderson, Subscription Publication) reports the sleep drugs zaleplon, zolpidem, and zopiclon may increase the risk of fractures in patients with dementia, according to a study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2018. In the study that included people “who had received a Z-drug prescription (n = 2952) and those who had not (n = 1651),” the researchers found that the “so-called Z drugs were found to increase overall fracture risk by 40% and the risk for hip fracture by 59%.” HealthDay (7/25, Preidt) also covers the story.

Related Links:

— “Sleeping Pills May Be Poor Choice for Dementia Patients, ” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, July 25, 2018.

USA Today (7/25, Weintraub) reports researchers have found that “aggressively lowering blood pressure in people at high risk for heart attacks and stroke also reduced their likelihood of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that often leads to dementia.” The researchers found that patients who were “treated to reduce their systolic blood pressure…to 120 mm Hg were 19 percent less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than those whose blood pressure was targeted to 140 mm Hg.”

The Wall Street Journal (7/25, Loftus, Subscription Publication) reports the findings were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

Bloomberg News (7/25, Cortez) reports that based on the study’s results, drugs that lower blood pressure could “reduce the risk of memory loss and dementia.”

Related Links:

— “Aggressively lowering blood pressure could reduce risk of developing dementia, study finds, “Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, July 25, 2018.

Endocrine Today (7/24, Schaffer) reports, “Among adults with type 2 diabetes, a combination of heavy alcohol consumption and depression increases the risk for coronary artery disease and neuropathy,” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from 1,413 adults with type 2 diabetes aged 40 to 76 years.” The findings were published online July 10 in the Journal of Diabetes.

Related Links:

— “Heavy drinking with depression increases risk of CAD, neuropathy in type 2 diabetes, “Regina Schaffer, Healio, July 24, 2018.

HealthDay (7/24, Norton) reports that “antidepressant treatment may help” heart attack “patients avoid a second heart attack,” research indicated.

Healio Cardiology Today (7/24, Dobkowski) reports, “Patients with depression and recent” acute coronary syndrome (ACS) “who were treated with escitalopram had lower risk for major adverse cardiac events compared with those given placebo,” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from 300 patients with depression and recent ACS.” The findings were published in the July 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Related Links:

— “Treating Depression May Prevent Repeat Heart Attack, “Amy Norton, HealthDay, July 24, 2018.