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Cardiovascular Risk Factors Linked to Dementia
Catching and treating cardiovascular risk factors in midlife could help prevent a later diagnosis of dementia. Results from a large cohort study from California showed cardiovascular risk factors in midlife were significantly associated with a 20% to 40% increased risk of dementia in later life. Taken with results of previous studies which suggest treatment of high cholesterol and hypertension reduce the risk of dementia, physicians are encouraged to intervene in these risk factors as early as possible so patients can get the most out of treatment.
Previous studies have supported a link between cardiovascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease. Much of the research done on cardiovascular risk factors in middle age was conducted as part of the Honolulu Aging Study, which involved Japanese-American men. This study is unique in that it has a representative multi- ethnic population which includes women. Study subjects were also unique in that they were all part of an integrated health-care delivery system and therefore had equal access to medical care.
Researchers looked at the records of 8,845 people in their early 40s when they had check-ups as part of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California between 1964 and 1974. They then looked at medical records from 1994 to 2003 for diagnosis of dementia. A total of 721 (8.2%) people had dementia.
People who were hypertensive in their 40s were 24% more likely to have dementia later in life; diabetics were 46% more likely, those with high cholesterol were 42% more likely and smokers were 26% more likely to have dementia. The more cardiovascular risk factors the patients had at midlife, the more likely they were to have dementia later in life. A composite cardiovascular disease score, similar to the Framingham Risk Score, was assigned to each patient based on the number of cardiovascular risk factors. Compared with people with no risk factors, patients with two risk factors at midlife had a 70% greater risk of dementia. Those with four risk factors had a 237% greater risk of dementia.
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