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Ditch High BP, Diabetes for Longer Life Without Dementia
20 Aug
Summary
- Living without high blood pressure, diabetes, or smoking adds 13 years of dementia-free life.
- Total dementia-free survival from age 55 averages 30 years without risk factors.
- Midlife vascular health, not isolated factors, determines dementia-free survival.
A long-term US study has uncovered a strong link between midlife vascular health and dementia-free survival. Individuals avoiding high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking lived approximately 13 years longer without dementia compared to those with all three risk factors.
From age 55, participants without any of these risk factors experienced an average of 30.1 dementia-free years. In contrast, those with all three risk factors averaged only 17.5 dementia-free years. The study, which followed over 12,000 adults, indicates that dementia risk increases with the number of vascular risk factors present.
Researchers found that controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, and avoiding smoking from midlife is essential for extending the years lived without dementia. These findings underscore that maintaining overall vascular health, rather than managing individual risk factors alone, is a crucial determinant for cognitive longevity.
