Cardiovascular Health & Dementia
A major focus of dementia research for years has been on figuring out the biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. By knowing what is causing Alzheimer’s, we may be able to treat and prevent it. A recent study conducted by University College London (UCL) suggests a new front-runner for the biggest dementia risk factor: Cardiovascular health.
The Connection Between Cardiovascular Health and Dementia
The link between cardiovascular health and dementia isn’t new. Conditions like hypertension, obesity, and diabetes have long been found to contribute to dementia risk. The new UCL study, however, sheds a light on just how impactful cardiovascular health may be for dementia.
Researchers on this study analyzed the results from 27 different dementia research papers with data that was collected from 1947 to 2015. They found that risk factors like education level and whether someone smokes were having less of an impact over time.
However, the contribution to dementia risk of cardiovascular health conditions has actually increased over time. Cardiovascular health is now believed to be the leading risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Hypertension, in particular, was shown to be the leading contributor to Alzheimer’s risk in a majority of the recent studies that were analyzed.
Why the Connection Between Cardiovascular Health and Dementia Matters
These findings could have major implications on the way we look at preventing Alzheimer’s disease. For factors like education and smoking, broad population-level interventions make the biggest impact: Campaigns to raise education levels and share the health risks of smoking could help decrease dementia risk.
But for something like cardiovascular health, a more targeted approach is needed. Interventions to improve cardiovascular health and decrease dementia risk would need to happen at an individual level. Healthcare providers may need to focus on their patients’ cardiovascular health more when considering dementia risk.
How to Improve Cardiovascular Health
With this information in mind, many people will be wondering how to prevent dementia. Focusing on cardiovascular health is a great start.
There are a number of ways to work on your cardio. Diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices all contribute to an individual’s overall cardiovascular health. Some ways to get more heart-healthy include:
- 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week: This includes activities like brisk walking, running, swimming, bicycling, or jumping rope.
- Eat heart healthy foods: More whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fish; less fatty meat, sodium, pizza, and creamy sauces
- Reduce alcohol consumption: Anything beyond moderate alcohol consumption can have negative impacts on heart health
- Manage stress: High stress can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Stress management techniques like deep breathing and meditation can help.
Other Dementia Risk Factors
Cardiovascular health, while important, is not the end-all-be-all when it comes to Alzheimer’s risk. There are other risk factors that play a role as well.
Alzheimer’s and dementia develop due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some people are predisposed to be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s based on their genetics. But environmental factors including diet, smoking, cholesterol, education, and obesity also play a major part.
Conclusion
As always, there is more research to be done to gain a better understanding of all the factors that contribute to dementia risk. However, knowing that cardiovascular health plays a major role is an important development. The connection between Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular health cannot be denied.
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/dementia-risk-factors-cardiovascular-health-ucl-1918145
