Background:Studies have indicated a relationship between hypertension and cognitive function. The possible effect of antihypertensive therapy on cognitive disorders is therefore a matter of interest.Materials and methods:The Observational Study on Cognitive function And SBP Reduction (OSCAR) was an open-label, multinational trial designed to evaluate the impact of eprosartan-based antihypertensive therapy on cognitive function in patients with essential hypertension. Eprosartan 600 mg/day for 6 months (with provision for additional medication as needed) was initiated in hypertensive subjects aged ≥50 years. A total of 853 patients in an intention-to-treat cohort from seven countries of the Middle East was identified for subgroup analysis.Results:Arterial blood pressure was reduced significantly (P < 0.001) during the study: At the end of 6 months of eprosartan-based therapy, the mean (±SD) reduction from baseline was 32.1 ± 14.3/14.6.3 ± 8.6 mmHg (P < 0.001). Mean pulse pressure was reduced by 18.3 ± 13.1 mmHg (P < 0.0001 vs baseline). Blood pressure was normalized (systolic <140 mmHg and diastolic <90 mmHg) in 68.2% of patients. The overall mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score after 6 months of eprosartan-based therapy was one-point higher than at baseline (P < 0.001). MMSE score on completion of 6 months’ follow-up was either unchanged or increased from baseline in 793 (93%) individuals and decreased in 60 (7%). Factors associated with stability of or improvement in cognitive function included MMSE score at baseline, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at baseline, and treatment-induced change in DBP.Conclusion:Results from the Middle East subgroup of OSCAR are supportive of the hypothesis that antihypertensive therapy based on angiotensin-receptor blocker therapy with eprosartan may be associated with preservation or improvement of cognitive function.

Background: Studies have indicated a relationship between hypertension and cognitive function. The possible effect of antihypertensive therapy on cognitive disorders is therefore a matter of interest. Materials and methods:The Observational Study on Cognitive function And SBP Reduction (OSCAR) was an open-label, multinational trial designed to evaluate the impact of eprosartanbased antihypertensive therapy on cognitive function in patients with essential hypertension. Eprosartan 600 mg/day for 6 months (with provision for additional medication as needed) was initiated in hypertensive subjects aged $50 years. A total of 853 patients in an intention-to-treat cohort from seven countries of the Middle East was identified for subgroup analysis. Results: Arterial blood pressure was reduced significantly (P , 0.001) during the study: At the end of 6 months of eprosartan-based therapy, the mean (±SD) reduction from baseline was 32.1 ± 14.3/14.6.3 ± 8.6 mmHg (P , 0.001). Mean pulse pressure was reduced by 18.3 ± 13.1 mmHg (P , 0.0001 vs baseline). Blood pressure was normalized (systolic ,140 mmHg and diastolic ,90 mmHg) in 68.2% of patients. The overall mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score after 6 months of eprosartan-based therapy was one-point higher than at baseline (P , 0.001). MMSE score on completion of 6 months' follow-up was either unchanged or increased from baseline in 793 (93%) individuals and decreased in 60 (7%). Factors associated with stability of or improvement in cognitive function included MMSE score at baseline, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at baseline, and treatment-induced change in DBP. Conclusion: Results from the Middle East subgroup of OSCAR are supportive of the hypothesis that antihypertensive therapy based on angiotensin-receptor blocker therapy with eprosartan may be associated with preservation or improvement of cognitive function.

Introduction Anticoagulation has been shown to be highly effective in stroke prevention in patients who have atrial fibrillation (AF). Many patients with AF do not have symptoms and may not seek medical attention. In this study we evaluated the clinical profiles of asymptomatic AF (AAF) patients and compared them to symptomatic ones to find what factors are associated with absence of symptoms. Methods We analyzed data of 2000 patients enrolled in the prospective multicenter Jordan AF study from May 2019 to October 2020. Symptoms included palpitations (43%), shortness of breath (34%), fatigue (21%), dizziness (11%), chest pain (2%) or syncope (2%) versus no symptoms (30%, n=591). Findings The average age of the whole group was 67.7±10.2 years and 47% were males. Clinical factors investigated in relation to absence of symptoms are presented in the attached table Conclusion AAF is associated with the following clinical features: male gender, age above 59 years, diabetes mellitus (DM), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and chronic renal failure (CRF), CHA2DS2VASC score of 3 and above and HASBLED score of 3 and above, while first episode and paroxysmal AF (PAF) were more likely to be symptomatic. Individuals with these features should be closely evaluated for AAF by means such as pulse monitoring, smart devices and electrocardiogram. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.