According to a new study, people with abnormalities in the heart’s left atrium may have a higher risk of developing dementia later in life by 35%. This risk was found in people with or without symptoms, including those who did not have atrial fibrillation or stroke, two conditions known to be associated with dementia.
The heart’s left atrium is responsible for receiving blood from the lungs and pumping it into the left ventricle, which then pumps the blood throughout the rest of the body. Previous studies have found an abnormality in the functioning or structure of the left artery can signal a person’s cardiac risk. This condition, known as atrial cardiopathy, is associated with an increased risk of stroke and atrial fibrillation, which are both associated with a heightened risk of dementia.
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This new study highlighted the need to better understand the relationship between a state of atrial dysfunction that may not be presenting symptoms and the association with dementia.
The study included more than 15,000 people who were originally recruited for the ongoing Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. All participants attended clinical visits every three years, and health records such as hospital record abstraction, ECG tracings, physician and coroner questionnaires, and death certificate data were analyzed. Researchers believe this information has led to discoveries and guidelines surrounding atherosclerosis, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, and cognitive decline.
The analysis of the health data found that over the 30 years of follow-up, 763 people developed dementia, and 1,709 had atrial cardiopathy. The participants with atrial cardiopathy appeared to be 35% more likely to develop dementia. When the findings were adjusted for participants who experienced atrial fibrillation and stroke, they still found a respective 31% and 28% increase in dementia risk in patients with atrial cardiopathy.
These findings suggest that a state of atrial cardiopathy that leads to dementia is not entirely a result of atrial fibrillation or stroke alone. Researchers believe these results
emphasize the importance of lowering vascular and heart disease risks.
More research is needed to evaluate the possibility of silent strokes or asymptomatic atrial fibrillation that may be missed in clinical trials.
Brain and Heart Health
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Sarah began her interest in nutritional healing at an early age. After going through health problems and becoming frustrated with the conventional ways doctors wanted to treat her illness (which were not working), she took it upon herself to find alternative treatments. This led her to revolutionize her own diet to help her get healthier and tackle her health problems. She began treating her illness by living a more balanced lifestyle through healthy food choices, exercise and other alternative medicine such as meditation. This total positive lifestyle change led her to earn a diploma in Nutritional Therapy from Health Sciences Academy in London, England. Today, Sarah enjoys helping others by teaching healthy lifestyle changes through her personal consultations and with her regular contributions to the Doctors Health Press. Also, passionate about following her dreams in life, Sarah moved to France and lived in Paris for over 5 years where she earned a certification in beadwork and embroidery from Lesage (an atelier owned by Chanel). She then went on to be a familiar face sitting front row and reporting from Paris Fashion Week. Sarah continues to practice some of the cultural ways of life she learned while in Europe. They enjoy their food, and take the time to relax and enjoy many of life’s little moments. These are life lessons she is glad to have brought back home with her.
