Heres what you gotta know.
What Heart Conditions Influence Brain Health?
These three heart conditions are atrial fibrillation, heart failure and coronary heart disease.
Dementia is commonly seen as an incurable and relentless disease that cannot be prevented.
Lets take a look at what they found for each heart condition.
AFib places people at a higher risk for stroke, and stroke damages the brain.
Its been long recognized that different cardiac diseases can cause stroke which leads to dementia, Testai tellsEatingWell.
In addition, stroke in particular areas of the brain can lead to cardiac disorders, such as arrhythmias.
But theres more to it.
Researchers found in their literature review that just having AFib increases the risk of cognitive impairment by 39%.
Less blood means less oxygen and nutrients, which can result in poor cognition.
Some people can feel when their heart goes out of normal rhythm but others cant.
In other words, it fails to properly function.
There are many possible causes of heart failure.
Heart failure results in less blood being pumped out with each heartbeat.
Executive function is a group of mental skills that include the ability to plan, organize and execute tasks.
It also includes impulse control and memory.
Like AFib, heart failure influences brain health through reduced blood flowwhich has been linked to mini-strokesand chronic inflammation.
Heart failure can also influence certain hormones that affect brain health.
The buildup of plaque can start in childhood.
And following a heart attack, up to 50% of people experience some loss of brain function.
How Does This Apply to Real Life?
This is associated with cardiac dysfunction and suggests that neurodegeneration and heart disease are biochemically interconnected.
Then theres the genetic component.
Genetic links between cardiac health and brain structure have been more recently described, says Testai.
This suggests that both conditions, once considered indirectly related, may share genetic predispositions.
As with any health condition, early detection is a good thing.
Its important to take a holistic approach to your health.
), wearing a seatbelt in any punch in of vehicle and preventing falls.
Not sure what to eat?
And since we cant go back in time, today is the best day to begin these changes.
- doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000476
American Heart Association.Heart failure, atrial fibrillation & coronary heart disease linked to cognitive impairment.
American Heart Association.Coronary artery diseasecoronary heart disease.
