Smokers Have Twice the Risk for Stroke

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation

_______________________________________________________
We all know that smoking is bad for health.  The questions that require ongoing study and clarification are "how bad" and "bad for what, specifically".

In research presented last week to the Canadian Stroke Congress, scientists from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute provided some answers.  They concluded that smokers are twice as likely to suffer an ischemic stroke (caused by a blocked blood vessel) as non-smokers,  and four times more likely to suffer a hemorrhagic stroke (caused by a ruptured blood vessel) than non-smokers.

These findings were accompanied by more bad news.  The researchers found that, among smokers who had strokes, the strokes occurred about a decade earlier (on average) than strokes among non-smokers.  They also found that continuing to smoke following a minor stroke, greatly increased the likelihood of a major stroke later on.

Smoking is a preventable risk; a life-style choice with serious consequences. In addition to the well-publicized damage that smoking can cause your heart and lungs, I am hopeful that sharper insights into how it might damage your brain, will help more people make wiser choices about smoking.

Smoking, Alzheimer's, and Dementia

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

Smoking is clearly bad for your vascular health.  This has been well studied and consistently proven through decades of solid research.  Since one key function of the vascular system is to deliver oxygen rich blood to the the brain, it stands to reason that a compromised vascular system could negatively affect the brain.

Based on data from the Rotterdam Study published in Neurology, the hypothesis that smoking's impact on the vascular system is ultimately bad for the brain, is likely to be true.

Researchers analyzed data from 6,868 subjects aged 55 and older for an average of 7 years, all of whom were dementia free at the start of the study.  By comparing smoking habits, including number of packs per day and number of years smoked, to the eventual incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia, clear conclusions were drawn.  Those subjects who smoked in midlife were approximately 50% more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's or to become demented from other causes later in life.

In a more recent study, researchers  looked at similar data from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California.  In this analysis, researchers studied midlife smoking habits and their correlation to Alzheimer's and/or vascular dementia in later life, across 21,123 subjects over a 23 year period.   They found that heavy smokers (2 packs/day) had about a 200% increase in risk for Alzheimer's and/or vascular dementia and that light smokers (half a pack/day) had about a 40% increase in risk.

The consistency of these findings should be noted,  especially given the large sample and long period of the second study.  It is safe to add "preserving the health of your brain" to the already long list of reasons why you should not smoke.

You should follow Brain Today on twitter here

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share button below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

Treating Alzheimer's Disease Without Drugs

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

One of the common themes in this blog is that "current treatment for Alzheimer's disease is better than many headlines indicate".

We write this because the argument against treatment efficacy is almost always framed through the narrow lens of drug-based interventions when, in reality, drugs are only one part of the most effective approach. A robust approach includes management of risk factors like smoking and excessive drinking, controlling co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, proper diet, physical exercise, and both social and intellectual engagement.

We also point out that many reports of poor treatment efficacy are based on studies of Alzheimer's patients in whom the disease is too far progressed, and the brain too ravaged, for treatment to have a fair chance at working.

There is an additional area of treatment that has shown impressive efficacy and should be emphasized as well; it is psychosocial interventions. These include care-giver education, structured communication techniques, home safety, family counseling, and problem resolution. The results have been clear; caregivers who know what to expect and how best to deal with problems as they emerge, are less stressed, less depressed, and more effective in giving care. The result is healthier patients who maintain higher quality of life and a prolonged ability to avoid institutionalized care.

The Huffington Post has a great summary today of this approach and I encourage all readers to click through and to share this with their interested peers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share buttons below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

Smoking Increases Risk of Alzheimer's Disease and Vacular Dementia

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

Many of smoking's detrimental effects on long-term health have been well know for decades. Research has clearly shown that smoking can lead to lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Now, based on research published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine, we know that smoking can also dramatically increase risk for Alzheimer's disease and for vascular dementia.

In a study of more than 21 thousand subjects who were followed for an average of 23 years, Kaiser Permanente tracked smoking habits and incidence of dementia. The findings were clear:

Compared with non-smokers, those who smoked more than two packs of cigarettes a day in midlife had a "dramatic increase" in the incidence of dementia -- more than a 157 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and a 172 percent increased risk of developing vascular dementia, Whitmer's team found.

- Lead Researcher, Rachel A. Whitmer

It should be noted that these heightened risks were demonstrated in middle-aged subjects (50-60 years old) who smoked more than 2 packs per day. Because data were not available across the full age spectrum, we cannot say with certainty if the same risks apply (or do not apply) to older or younger subjects. Those who smoke less than two packs per day did not have the same heightened risks.

While we have long known about the many risks that smoking poses to our physical health, the evidence that it could also impair our cognitive health has been historically, less substantial. This well designed study on a large sample population and a long follow-up period draws a highly valid and important conclusion.

It's another good reason to quit. More importantly, it's another good reason not to start.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A better understanding and more awareness of Alzheimer's related issues can impact personal health decisions and generate significant impact across a population of aging individuals. Please use the share buttons below to spread this educational message as widely as possible.

Managing Risks for Dementia

Contributed by: Dennis Fortier, President, Medical Care Corporation
________________________________________________

One of my favorite types of scientific research is the "review paper" when authors collect and review the literature in a certain field and report on the depth and breadth of findings in the targeted area of study. As such, I was happy to see a recent report by the BBC that the Alzheimer's Society had chaired a panel of experts and reviewed more than 70 research papers on reducing the risk of dementia.

The report contained some elements that may be as surprising as they are important. Notably, they suggested that age 35 is probably the right time to start managing known risks in an effort to ward off dementia later in life.

I strongly suggest you click to read the BBC's synopsis of the report but the highlights are noted here:

Strong Evidence in support of:
- Get Physical Exercise
- Don't Be Obese
- Bring Down High Blood Pressure
- Reduce High Cholesterol
- Don't Smoke

Some Evidence in support of:
- Drink Modest Amounts of Alcohol
- Eat a Mediterranean Diet
- Remain or Become Socially Active

The Jury is out on:
- Brain Training
- Vitamin Supplements

The importance of this review, and other similarly scientific reviews, can not be overstated in this era of aggressive commercialization of unregulated health care solutions. There is a lot of hype in the press that has not yet been scientifically validated. Some of it might ultimately prove to be worthwhile but this review let's you know the current state of the science.