Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Between 5 and 10 per cent of people with dementia have vascular dementia alone. In the Middle East the condition affects up to
18 per cent of people 80 years and above, and is set to rise by 5% in the next 30 years as the ageing population grows.
Stroke-related dementia
Sometimes vascular dementia follows a stroke due to the blood vessels in the brain becoming narrowed or blocked by a clot. This can cause cognitive impairments which can lead to a diagnosis of ‘post-stroke dementia’ or ‘single infarct dementia’.
Sometimes, vascular dementia may be caused by transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) which can be so small that the symptoms last less than 24 hours or there are no symptoms whatsoever – as the blockage clears itself. However, the brain can be left with small but widespread damage leading to ‘multi-infarct dementia’.
Subcortical dementia
It is thought subcortical dementia is the most common type of vascular dementia. It happens when very small blood vessels deep within the brain develop thick walls and become stiff and narrowed, causing a reduction in blood flowing through them. This causes damage to the bundles of nerve fibres that carry signals around the brain, leading to symptoms of dementia.
Reducing the risk of vascular dementia
Not everyone that has a stroke will develop post-stroke dementia, but about 1 in 5 people who have a stroke will develop vascular dementia within 6 months. Vascular dementia is an age-related condition that rarely affects people under 65. However, stroke-related vascular dementia shares the same risk factors of stroke.
Royal Brompton Hospital’s consultant cardiologist, Dr Resham Baruah, explains: “The risk of vascular dementia can be reduced by leading an active, healthy lifestyle and avoiding smoking. It is important to identify heart rhythm issues, as well as controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol with medication and regular check-ups.”
A healthy heart ensures that enough blood is pumped to the brain, while healthy blood vessels enable the oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to reach the brain so it can function normally.
- To find out more visit: rbhh-specialistcare.co.uk
