Objective:

To analyze hypertension (HTN) and dementia related mortality trends stratified by gender, age, race, region, and place of death within the United States (US) from 1999–2023.

Background:

HTN is an established risk factor for cognitive decline and subsequent dementia development; however, concomitant mortality trends of HTN and dementia remain understudied in the US.

Design/Methods:

We analyzed CDC WONDER Database for mortality data of 25+ years individuals using ICD-10 codes for dementia (G30, G31, F01, F03) and HTN (I10). Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per 100,000 and annual percentage changes (APCs) were computed using the Joinpoint Regression Program. Results were statistically significant if p-value <0.05 (indicated by *).

Results:

From 1999–2023, there were 1,388,390 deaths attributed to HTN and dementia. Overall, AAMR increased sharply from 4.16 to 15.5 between 1999 and 2001 (APC = 76.48*), followed by a significant rise to 31.9 in 2023 (APC = 2.44*). Females (26.2) had a higher AAMR than males (20.3). A notable increase was observed across all age groups, particularly 65–74 years (2001–2023 APC = 3.23*) and 85+ years (2001–2023 APC = 2.46*). Non-Hispanic (NH) Blacks had the highest AAMR (32.76), followed by NH Whites (24.16), Hispanics (19.26), NH American Indians/Alaskan Natives (19.24), and NH Asians/Pacific Islanders (14.75), with a significant mortality rise among NH Whites (2001–2023 APC = 2.72*). Regional AAMR variations were observed (South= 26.41, Midwest=25.58, West=24.19, Northeast= 18.64), with a consistent mortality incline across all regions, particularly the South (2001–2023 APC = 3.05*). Nursing homes and long-term care facilities accounted for 53.71% of total deaths.

Conclusions:

The aforementioned disparities can help identify the high-risk groups and require targeted public health interventions for managing HTN and dementia within the US.