Wednesday 10 August 2022 05:37 PM A simple heart scan may predict if you're at risk of dementia in the next 10 ... trends now

Wednesday 10 August 2022 05:37 PM A simple heart scan may predict if you're at risk of dementia in the next 10 ... trends now
Wednesday 10 August 2022 05:37 PM A simple heart scan may predict if you're at risk of dementia in the next 10 ... trends now

Wednesday 10 August 2022 05:37 PM A simple heart scan may predict if you're at risk of dementia in the next 10 ... trends now

A simple heart scan in old age may predict if you're at risk of dementia in the next 10 years, study finds 75-year-olds with atrial cardiopathy were 35% more likely to develop dementia  Atrial cardiopathy causes heart chamber issues that can be detected with scans  Researchers tracked dementia diagnoses in elderly US adults from 2011 to 2019

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Simple heart scans may be able to predict your risk of being diagnosed dementia within a decade, a study suggests.

Researchers found elderly people with abnormalities in their left atrium were a third more likely to develop the disease — even if they showed no sign of heart problems.

It suggests scans normally only used for people with suspected heart disease or heart attack patients could help identify who is at highest risk of dementia.

The left atrium helps pump oxygenated blood to vital organs, including the brain. If the chamber is faulty, it can reduce blood flow to the brain — a risk for dementia.

Atrial cardiopathy is the term for a variety of conditions that can cause the left atrium not to work properly.

It can lead to strokes and an irregular heartbeat, two complications that have also been linked with dementia. 

But the study of more than 5,000 American adults in their 70s concluded atrial cardiopathy was an 'independent risk factor'.

The researchers, led by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said it could help inform 'new interventional strategies'.

Researchers found elderly people with abnormalities in their left atrium are 35 per cent more likely to suffer with dementia. Graphic shows: The left atrium pumps freshly-oxygenated blood into the left ventricle, where it is taken out the heart by the aorta and sent to the brain via the carotid arteries

WHAT IS DEMENTIA? THE KILLER DISEASE THAT ROBS SUFFERERS OF THEIR MEMORIES 

A GLOBAL CONCERN 

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behaviour. 

There are many different types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.

Some people may have a combination of types of dementia.

Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience their dementia in their own unique way.

Dementia is a global concern but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live into very old age.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE

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