Stroke increases the risk of dementia

New research published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of The Alzheimer’s Association found people who have had a stroke are at an increased risk of developing dementia.  In the largest study of its kind ever conducted, researchers from The University of Exeter Medical School analyzed data from 48 studies of more than 3.2 million people worldwide.  The study took into account dementia risk factors including blood pressure, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases.  The study included individuals who had a longer history of stroke and individuals who had recently had a stroke.  The study found that a history of stroke increases the risk of dementia by around 70% and recent strokes more than doubled the risk.

Dr David Llewellyn from The University of Exeter Medical School said “Around a third of dementia cases are thought to be potentially preventable, though this estimate does not take into account the risk associated with stroke.  Our findings indicate that this figure could be even higher and reinforce the importance of protecting the blood supply to the brain when attempting to reduce the global burden of dementia.”