Intensive Versus Standard Blood Pressure Lowering to Prevent Functional Decline in Older People

This randomized clinical trial examines if lowering and maintaining 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure to \<130 mmHg (intensive control) versus \<145 mmHg (standard control) slows/halts the progression of deterioration of mobility and cognitive function linked to white-matter disease (also known as white-matter hyperintensity or WMH) in patients with normal or mildly impaired mobility and cognition in subjects with detectable cerebrovascular disease (\>0.5% WMH fraction of intracranial contents). The study patients will be enrolled and randomized to one of two levels of ambulatory blood pressure control (intensive to achieve a goal 24-hour systolic blood pressure of \< 130 mmHg or standard to achieve a goal 24-hour systolic blood pressure of \< 145 mmHg) for a total of 36 months.

The study patients will be enrolled and randomized to one of two levels of ambulatory BP control (intensive to achieve a goal 24-hour systolic BP of \< 130 mmHg or standard to achieve a goal 24-hour systolic BP of \< 145 mmHg) for a total of 36 months. Similar antihypertensive regimens will be used in both of the treatment groups. Titration of antihypertensive therapies will be performed at monthly intervals for the first 3 to 6 months post-randomization to achieve goal systolic BP. The primary and secondary outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, and following 18 months and 36 months of therapy.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* 75 years of age or older
* Seated clinic systolic BP \>150 mmHg in the untreated state (see criterion D)
* At risk for cerebrovascular disease (history of smoking, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, longstanding hypertension, family history). Patients must have visible (0.5% WMH or more)white-matter hypertensity lesions on screening magnetic resonance imaging
* To achieve success in maintaining a 24-hour systolic BP of \<140-145 mmHg in the standard treatment group or a systolic BP \<125-130 mmHg in the intensive treatment group, patients will be eligible for inclusion if (1) their clinic systolic BP is 150-170 mmHg, and they are taking 0 to 2 antihypertensives, (2) their systolic BP is \>170 mmHg and they are taking 0 to 1 antihypertensives

Exclusion Criteria:

* Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (HBA1c \>10%)
* History of stroke, dementia or clinically impaired gait (Mini-mental status exam score (MMSE) \<24, Short Physical Performance Battery for gait (SPPB) \< 9,)
* Body Mass Index \> 45 kg/m2 and/or arm circumference \> 44 cm)
* Poor kidney function (defined as estimated GFR \<30 ml/minute)
* Active liver disease or serum transaminases \>3 times the upper limit of normal
* Major cardiovascular event (e.g. myocardial infarction) or procedure (e.g. cardiac bypass surgery) in past 3 months; stroke with residual gait abnormality
* Uncompensated congestive heart failure (NYHA class III or IV or documented ejection fraction \<30%)
* Chronic atrial fibrillation that disallows ambulatory BP monitoring to be successfully performed
* Medical conditions that limit survival to \< 3 years
* Non-dermatologic cancer diagnosed within 2 years
* Organ transplantation requiring anti-rejection drug therapy
* Severe and unexplained weight loss (\>15%) in past 6 months
* Medical need to undergo recurrent phlebotomy or blood transfusions
* Current participation in another investigational trial
* Unable to obtain informed consent
* Factors limiting adherence to the interventions
* MRI contraindications (including MRI-incompatible implants, severe claustrophobia).