Treating vascular risk factors and maintaining vascular health: is this the way towards successful cognitive ageing and preventing cognitive decline?
Dementia is a progressive disorder that typically worsens with time and from which recovery is unlikely. The incidence of dementia increases exponentially with ageing and is an important public health challenge. There is now growing evidence for the role of vascular factors in Alzheimer's disease, mixed dementia (Alzheimer's disease with cerebrovascular disease), and of course vascular dementia. With the rising prevalence of vascular disease, there are increasing numbers of people who are identified to be at risk of cognitive impairment. By changing modifiable vascular risk factors, there is emerging evidence that it may be possible to prevent or delay the expression and progression of dementia.
Alagiakrishnan
K
K
Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. kalagiak@cha.ab.ca
McCracken
P
P
Feldman
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003704:Dementia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors