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
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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