Higher Heart Rate Brings Dementia, Research Says
New research suggests a rise in heart rate during old age can act as a risk factor behind dementia. The report has appeared in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia indicating resting heart rate as a non-mental cause that should be taken into account.
Higher Heart Rate Brings Dementia, Research Says
The study points out that as there is a strong link between elevated heart rate and dementia, correcting a higher heart rate in a person from the beginning can reduce this risk when he reaches old age. At the same time, it would be easier to find people who have the risk of dementia quite earlier to follow the required preventive measures.
Regarding the study, it was conducted on more than 2,000 Swedish volunteers aged 60 years and above. These people have tracked different health markers including their RHR, every three or six years which exactly began from 2001-2004 and 2013-2016. RHR is the number of times a person’s heartbeats per minute while he is at complete rest.
According to research, a normal rate of this marker is between 60 to 80 bpm. For those who have a higher fitness rate, their RHR levels would be 60 and below. However, a higher level of RHR indicates increased health risks such as metabolic syndrome. An RHR 80 and near is also considered to be poor among those who age 65 and more.
Since most of the volunteers who aged 65 and more showed a 55% extra risk of dementia when compared to those who have a rate of 60 to 69 bpm. So, researchers concluded that during screenings on dementia or even earlier, RHR should be considered seriously.
According to the lead author of the study, Yume Imahori from the Department of Neurobiology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the study authors have agreed that early intervention and finding people with a high risk of dementia can have a considerable impact on life quality as the condition of dementia can be delayed.
As per the study reports, Dr. Imahori could sort out a possible association between dementia and cardiovascular issues. Another risk factor identified by the National Institutes of Health is higher blood pressure levels. Since the issues related to the vascular system can bring an improper blood supply to the brain, it can eventually bring the risk of developing dementia.
Dr. Imahori added that even if someone is not diagnosed with cardiovascular issues, raised RHR can be its direct indication. So those with a higher RHR are at the risk of both heart disease as well as dementia.
Inactivity can be another cause, as sedentary people tend to have a higher rate of RHR. reports of a meta-analysis also indicate that inactive people or those with sedentary behavior possess a 30% more dementia risk. The research has included 250,000 volunteers and the possible factors behind the risk of cardiovascular disease identified were inflammation, hiked cholesterol rates, impaired glucose regulation, etc.
So, Dr. Imahori also suggested the importance of understanding these associations as there is a menacing rise in the global burden of dementia. Besides, there is a higher risk of having 115 million people in the world by 2050 with conditions io dementia.
