It’s not just the risk of heart attack that should keep middle age adults on their toes about their blood pressure and cholesterol scores: a new study has shown that hypertension and high cholesterol leads to memory loss and cognitive decline in MIDDLE AGE.
The long-term study tracked 3,500 British men and 1,300 British women, who took tests three times over a ten year period. The end result was that cardiovascular risk in middle age also shows itself in declined mental abilities.
Quoting from an article in Health Day:
Dr. Ralph Sacco, president of the American Heart Association, said an increasing body of research is showing the importance of cardiovascular health in maintaining brain function over a person’s life span.
“The link between cardiovascular health and brain health is becoming increasingly important and recognized,” said Sacco, a professor of neurology, epidemiology and human genetics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol and inactivity can contribute to a narrowing of the large blood vessels throughout the body, but also the small blood vessels of the brain, Sacco explained.
Those changes can reduce blood flow, which can “starve the brain of oxygen and lead to changes in thinking, cognition and our mental abilities,” he said.
Sacco goes on to say that the good news is that by controlling your diet, exercise and diabetes risks, and taking meds for hypertension, you may be able to reduce your risk of cognitive decline in middle age. Start healthy and stay healthy!