cardiovascular disease

Poor Cardiovascular Health Puts the Mind at Risk

People with poor cardiovascular health (CVH) are at significantly greater risk of developing cognitive impairment than those with intermediate or good CVH, according to a new study. 

In order to explore a possible association between CVH and cognitive impairment, researchers collected data from 1761 participants, age 45 and older, in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) program who displayed no history of stroke and a normal global cognitive status at baseline.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATED CONTENT
Heart Health Now Affects Mental Health Later
Is Low BP Linked to Diabetes-Related Cognition?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Baseline CVH was calculated using Life’s Simple 7 scores—a new measurement of adjustable factors and behaviors used to suggest CVH improvements by the American Heart Association (AHA)–based on the participants’ history of smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels.

Based on these scores, participants were grouped in a 3-tier CVH classification system: poor, intermediate, or ideal.

Cognitive function was determined by verbal learning testing for memory and fluency through a given list of words. Additionally, investigators asked individuals to identify as many animals as possible during a time limit.

Once researchers factored in the age, sex, education, and race of participants, they identified cognitive impairment in the following:

  • 2.6% of participants with the best cardiovascular health
  • 2.7% of individuals with intermediate health
  • 4.6% of those with the worst health scores

“Even when ideal cardiovascular health is not achieved intermediate levels of cardiovascular health are preferable to low levels for better cognitive function,” said lead investigator Evan L. Thacker, PhD, and chronic disease epidemiologist at Brigham Young University Department of Health Science, in Provo, Utah.

The complete study was published in the June issue of the Journal of American Heart Association.

-Michelle Canales

References:

Thacker EL, Gillett SR, Wadley VG, et al. The American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 and Incident Cognitive Impairment: The Reasons for Geographic And Racial Differenes in Stroke (REGARDS) Study. JAHA. 2014 June 11 [epub ahead of print] doi:10.1161/JAHA.113.000635.

American Heart Association. Poor cardiovascular health linked to memory, learning deficits [press release]. June 11, 2014. http://newsroom.heart.org/news/poor-cardiovascular-health-linked-to-memory-learning-deficits. Accessed June 12, 2014.