A quarter century of cardiovascular risk hastens cognitive decline

Hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors from early adulthood and beyond have a direct impact on future cognitive ability, according to a study published March 31 in Circulation.

In this study spanning 25 years of cardiovascular risk exposure, a decline in cognitive function was seen positively correlated with resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol upon comprehensive statistical analysis and mental examination.

“Cumulative exposure to [cardiovascular risk factors] from early to mid-adulthood, especially above recommended guidelines, was associated with worse cognition in mid-life,” wrote author Kristine Yaffe, MD, from the University of California and VA Medical Center in San Francisco, and colleagues.

This prospective study included 3,381 subjects ranging in age from 18 to 30 at the outset who were evaluated after 25 years from 2010-2011 in order to understand how long-term risk exposure in early adulthood would impact cognition in mid-life. Higher numbers for all three noted risk factors were correlated with lower cognition, and particularly for blood pressures, blood-glucose and total cholesterol over recommended amounts.

“The meaning of this association and whether it warrants more aggressive treatment of [cardiovascular risk factors] earlier in life requires further investigation,” concluded the authors.