Vascular Dementia

A new study by Kaiser Permanente indicates that high cholesterol is a major risk factor for developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease later in life.

The results of the study were published in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. The research study followed 9,844 men and women for four decades, beginning when participants were between 40 and 45 years.

After weight control, hypertension and diabetes, researchers have discovered an important link between the high limit and dementia.

The study participants who had high cholesterol or value of 240mg/dl or more had a risk of 66 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease later in life. People with high cholesterol limit, between 200 and 239, AHD a peak of 25 per cent risk.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 106 million Americans have cholesterol levels higher limit.

With the availability of professional and domestic use CardioChek cholesterol testing device distributed by QuickMedical , there is now a way for the public to know their cholesterol number. Results like this and others greatly strengthens the logic of including cholesterol screenings as part intergral healthcare preventive maintenance, not only in regard to heart disease and diabetes, but now with the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The study found that people from the age of 40 with limited or high cholesterol are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. Previous studies have linked heart and brain health, but this is the first study to examine the association between the boundary of cholesterol and dementia.