Good Heart Health at Age 50 Linked to Lower Dementia Risk Later in Life

A study in the British Medical Journal determined good cardiovascular health at age 50 is linked to a reduced risk of dementia later, reports Medical Xpress . The researchers investigated the connection between the American Heart Association's Life Simple 7 cardiovascular health score at age 50 and the risk of dementia over the next 25 years. Subjects had no cardiovascular disease and dementia at 50, while dementia cases were diagnosed with hospital, mental health services, and death registers until 2017. Out of 7,899 participants, 347 cases of dementia were noted over an average follow-up of 25 years, with average age at dementia diagnosis 75 years. Adherence to Life Simple 7 cardiovascular health recommendations in midlife was connected to a lower risk of dementia later in life. In comparison with a dementia incidence rate of 3.2 per 1,000 person years among the cohort with a poor cardiovascular score, participants with an intermediate score had an incidence of 1.8 per 1,000 person years, and those with an optimal score had an incidence of 1.3 per 1,000 person years. Higher cardiovascular health score at age 50 also was associated with higher whole brain and gray matter volumes in magnetic resonance imaging scans two decades later.