Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Journal of Hypertension, 7(28), p. 1506-1514, 2010
DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0b013e328338bbec
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The brain is one of the main targets of hypertension. However, little is known about the relation between hypertension and motor performances. We studied the association between hypertension and walking speed in a cohort of elderly people. Analyses are based on participants (65-85 years) from the Dijon (France) center of the Three-City study (n = 3604), followed every 2 years. Persistent hypertension was defined by the use of antihypertensive drugs at baseline or at first follow-up, or by high blood pressure (> or =140/90 mmHg) at baseline and first follow-up. Walking speed was measured over 6 m, at baseline and fourth follow-up (n = 1774) after a mean (SD) duration of 7.0 (0.5) years. Brain MRI was performed in 1590 participants. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relation between hypertension and baseline walking speed or walking speed change. At baseline, mean (SD) walking speed (m/s) was lower in hypertensive patients [1.51 (0.31)] than in nonhypertensive individuals [1.59 (0.30), P