A method for the identification of patients in need of therapy and for the preventive treatment of such patients having minor cognitive disorders, wherein an increased risk can be determined for said patients to develop clinically manifested Alzheimer"s disease during a preceding risk stratification as a result of an increase in circulation-relevant peptide biomarkers measurable in the circulation of said patients, using drugs that comprise one or more active ingredients of cardiovascular agents, which are selected from the group consisting of ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, betablockers and blood pressure-lowering diuretics and the combinations thereof, or using drugs comprising one or more ANP receptor antagonists or one or more adenosine receptor antagonists.
