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# Vascular risk factors linked to dementia
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/vascular_risk_factors_linked_to_dementia_0530141114/
- Published: 2014-05-30T12:11:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:12:06.000Z
- Description: A Current Pharmaceutical Design review ties midlife weight extremes, untreated hypertension, type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia episodes to later dementia, and credits regular exercise with protection. Evidence on smoking and statins remains conflicting.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Disease, Health News, #vivvo-import

Friday May 30, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A report in Current Pharmaceutical Design suggests that there is something everyone can do to lower the risk of dementia.According to the report, vascular risk factors may also contribute to Alzheimer-vascular spectrum dementias.

- Overweight, **obesity**, and underweight during midlife are linked to cognitive decline and dementia later in life.
- **Hypertension**, particularly untreated hypertension during midlife is also correlated with dementia later in life.
- **Calcium channel blockers** (Amlodipine (Norvasc), Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac), Felodipine, Isradipine, Nicardipine (Cardene SR), Nifedipine (Procardia), Nisoldipine (Sular), Verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Covera-HS)), **angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors** (Benazepril (Lotensin), Captopril, Enalapril (Vasotec), Fosinopril, Lisinopril (Zestril), Moexipril (Univasc), Perindopril (Aceon), Quinapril (Accupril), Ramipril (Altace), Trandolapril (Mavik)), and **angiotensin-1 receptor-blockers** may help lower the risk of dementia associated with hypertension.
- **Type 2 diabetes** is considered a risk factor for dementia.
- Episodes of **hypoglycemia** predict risk of dementia in later life.
- Regular **physical exercise** during any point in the lifespan prevents cognitive decline and dementia while benefits are more significantly associated with physical exercise during early and midlife.
- **Dyslipidemia** or high cholesterol increases the risk of dementia although not all studies are consistent. The effect of lipid-lowering agents (statins) on risk of dementia is conflicting.
- The effect of **smoking** on the risk of dementia is unclear now.

Vascular risk factors are more significantly associated with vascular dementia than Alzheimer's disease. Evidence suggests that anything that promotes vascular risk factor reduction may be used to prevent dementia.ReferencePossible Role of Vascular Risk Factors in Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia.Hasnain M, Victor R Vieweg WCurrent Pharmaceutical Design \[2014\]