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February 4, 2024
As the International Stroke Conference approaches in Phoenix, a groundbreaking study to be presented indicates that stroke survivors face an 80 percent greater risk of developing dementia compared to a matched group from the general population. The preliminary research, involving approximately 180,000 stroke survivors, underscores the urgency of addressing the significant link between strokes and dementia.
The study, led by Dr. Raed Joundi, an assistant professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, discovered that the risk of dementia was notably higher in the first year post-stroke, with a nearly threefold increased risk. Although the risk gradually decreases over time, survivors still face a 1.5-times increased risk at five years following a stroke.
The research utilized health databases representing over 15 million people in Ontario, Canada, and included 180,940 individuals who had experienced either an ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage. The study highlighted that intracerebral hemorrhage, characterized by bleeding within the brain, further increased the risk of dementia by about 150 percent compared to the general population.
Dr. Victor W. Henderson, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Stanford University, emphasized that the risk of dementia is not necessarily higher in patients who have experienced a heart attack. The study further revealed that individuals who had only suffered a stroke had a similar risk of developing dementia as the general population.
Recurrent strokes were found to heighten the risk of dementia, underlining the need for continued vigilance in monitoring and managing cognitive health after a stroke. Additionally, the study pointed out that dementia diagnosis was more common than experiencing another stroke, emphasizing the critical importance of addressing dementia as a significant complication of stroke, both in the short and long term.
With over half of stroke survivors experiencing memory and thinking problems within the year following a stroke, and as many as 1 in 3 being diagnosed with dementia within five years, the study’s findings underscore the imperative to develop novel strategies for preventing dementia post-stroke. The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have previously highlighted the impact of strokes on cognitive function, emphasizing the need for ongoing research and awareness.
As the number of stroke cases continues to rise, reaching about 795,000 new or recurrent strokes annually, the study provides a clear call to action. Initiatives to reduce stroke risk, such as lifestyle changes, physical activity, a healthy diet, smoking cessation, weight management, and alcohol limitation, are crucial. Managing underlying health factors like diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol in collaboration with healthcare professionals is also recommended.
Dr. Joundi concluded, “Almost one-fifth of people develop dementia after a stroke, primarily in the first few years. This is a significant issue given the increasing number of people having strokes due to the aging populations worldwide. There is a major need to develop novel strategies to prevent dementia after a stroke.” The study underscores the pressing need for concerted efforts in stroke prevention and comprehensive post-stroke care to mitigate the risk of dementia and improve long-term outcomes for survivors.
