Hypertension is a significant factor in the development of cognitive dysfunction. Levocarnitine can be effective in the prevention and treatment of mild and moderate pre-dementia cognitive impairment in patients with hypertension.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the levocarnitine efficacy for the treatment of moderate cognitive impairment in patients with hypertension.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An open randomized study included 104 patients with hypertension and moderate cognitive impairment corresponding to grade I-II of dyscirculatory encephalopathy. The patients were aged 50 to 70 years. The participants were randomly divided into two groups (randomization 2:1 using a random number table generated in Excel). Patients in the main group (70 subjects) received levocarnitine 1000 mg intravenously once a day for 10 days. Patients in the control group (34 subjects) received an intravenous solution containing 0.9% sodium chloride 200.0 mL, 4% potassium chloride 10.0 mL, and 25% magnesium sulfate 10.0 mL daily. At the screening and final visit, all study participants underwent electrocardiography, were assessed for asthenia using a subjective MFI-20 scale, and had their cognitive function assessed using Wechsler subtests 5 and 7 and the Bourdon test. Multivariate ANOVA analysis was performed using Statistica 10.0.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between controls at Visits 1 and 2. Patients in the main group had a significant improvement in the Wechsler subtest 7 and the pace and speed of the Bourdon test; also, the asthenia rate decreased. The effects of levocarnitine on cognitive test performance can be due to improved resistance of nervous tissue to adverse factors, autoregulation of cerebral hemodynamics, and blood supply to the affected area.

CONCLUSION

Intravenous levocarnitine significantly improved the main parameters of memory and attention.