Heart Health and Dementia: Why Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels Matter

You may think that your cardiovascular health only refers to your heart. But since your brain and other organs receive blood that’s pumped from your heart, your heart health directly affects your brain health.

Vascular dementia is a type of dementia that is caused by poor blood flow to the brain. It’s the second most common type of dementia, and refers to changes in your memory, thinking, and behavior.

What’s the link among blood pressure, cholesterol, and vascular dementia?

Vascular dementia may happen if you have high blood pressure and plaque buildup in the blood vessels. Over time, when plaque buildup increases, the blood has a hard time passing through your vessels, and they may eventually narrow or even close. This may worsen blood flow to all your organs, including your brain. 

This part of the brain that’s not getting blood flow may become damaged, according to Pilar Stevens-Haynes, MD, Cardiologist at South Nassau Community Hospital in Oceanside, New York. “That causes vascular dementia, because you lose that part of the brain, [which] is no longer able to function.”

What are risk factors for vascular dementia?

Some risk factors for vascular dementia include:

• History of stroke

• Heart disease

• High cholesterol

• Type 2 diabetes

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Smoking

• Older age

When you know your numbers, you can be more aware of your risk of heart disease and dementia. Key numbers you should know include your blood pressure, cholesterol panel, and A1C. This may empower you to make changes and work with your healthcare provider to manage your risk.

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Written by:

Marisa Taylor Karas

Marisa Taylor Karas is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn who has covered health, gender, and technology for 15 years. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera America, among other publications, and also served as managing editor of the Mellon Foundation in New York City.

Reviewed by:

Mera Goodman, MD, FAAP

Mera Goodman, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician. Prior to practicing medicine, she worked as a management consultant.

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