REVIEW

Treating vascular risk factors and maintaining vascular health: Is this the way towards successful cognitive ageing and preventing cognitive decline?

K Alagiakrishnan¹, P McCracken¹, H Feldman²

¹ Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
² Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr K Alagiakrishnan
c/o Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Room 1259, 10230–111 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5G 0B7; kalagiak{at}cha.ab.ca

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.

Keywords: dementia; prevention; vascular factors

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Sabia, S., Nabi, H., Kivimaki, M., Shipley, M. J., Marmot, M. G., Singh-Manoux, A. (2009). Health Behaviors From Early to Late Midlife as Predictors of Cognitive Function: The Whitehall II Study. Am J Epidemiol 170: 428-437 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rafnsson, S. B, Deary, I. J, Fowkes, F. (2009). Peripheral arterial disease and cognitive function. Vasc Med 14: 51-61 [Abstract]  
• Rafnsson, S. B., Deary, I. J., Smith, F. B., Whiteman, M. C., Fowkes, F. G. R. (2007). Cardiovascular Diseases and Decline in Cognitive Function in an Elderly Community Population: The Edinburgh Artery Study. Psychosom. Med. 69: 425-434 [Abstract] [Full Text]