Smoking, Alzheimer's, and Dementia

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

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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.

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.
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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.