Cardiovascular Risk Factors Heighten Dementia Risk
Multiple cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are known to raise the risk of dementia. After reviewing 27 papers on dementia that included data gathered over a 70-year period, researchers in the United Kingdom were able to identify which risk factors posed the greatest risk. The leading causes were hypertension, obesity, diabetes, low education level and smoking. Hypertension remains the leading CVD risk factor for dementia, they said in the July 2024 issue of Lancet Public Health. Obesity and diabetes come next, as the prevalence of these risk factors is increasing. Smoking and low education levels are of lesser concern today, thanks to effective stop-smoking campaigns and compulsory public education. Taking control of hypertension, obesity and diabetes could prevent 40% of dementia cases, the authors theorized.
