What to know about vascular dementia
Medically reviewed by Nancy Hammond, MD
Written by Jon Johnson
Vascular dementia is damage in the brain that occurs due to reduced blood flow. People most often develop vascular dementia following a stroke, but there are several other potential causes and risk factors.
Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. It often affects memory, reasoning, and other thought processes.
Treatment may help slow or sometimes prevent the progression of the condition.
This article discusses the causes, symptoms, and methods of diagnosis of vascular dementia, as well as some treatment options.
What is vascular dementia?
Vascular dementia occurs when restricted blood flow to the brain damages brain cells. Without enough fresh blood flowing into the brain, cells can become damaged or die. The repair process in these cells is slow, and the body cannot always replace them.
The symptoms may occur suddenly, such as after a stroke or ischemic event. In other cases, cell damage can build up over time. If this is the case, the symptoms will gradually become worse.
The effects of vascular dementia may range from mild to severe. The symptoms can greatly impact a person’s quality of life and affect their ability to live independently.
Causes and risk factors
The cause of vascular dementia is a lack of blood flow in the brain. There are several different conditions that may cause this restriction, either gradually or straight away:
Stroke
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel leading to the brain bursts or becomes blocked by a clot. Stroke can have many effects on the body, one of which is the development of vascular dementia.
Damaged or narrowed blood vessels
Damaged or narrowed blood vessels leading to the brain may also cause vascular dementia. Because of this, conditions that damage the blood vessels over time or cause them to narrow may also increase the risk of vascular dementia.
Other risk factors
The risk of vascular dementia tends to increase as a person gets older. In fact, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute state that the condition affects almost one-third of people over the age of 70.
Also, a number of other factors and conditions may increase the risk of damaged blood vessels and vascular dementia, including:
- smoking
- obesity
- abnormal heart rhythms
- high cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- atherosclerosis
- diabetes
- a history of heart attack or stroke
Symptoms
The effects of vascular dementia vary from person to person depending on where the blood flow in the brain is most limited. Some possible symptoms of vascular dementia include:
- trouble concentrating
- general confusion
- a sudden headache or numbness or paralysis on one side of the face or body, which mirror the symptoms of stroke
- difficulty paying attention
- difficulty analyzing problems or situations
- difficulty making decisions
- irritation
- depression or mood changes
- personality changes
In some cases, such as when the symptoms appear following a stroke, the cause may be easy to pinpoint. In these cases, a doctor may refer to the symptoms as “post-stroke dementia.”
In other cases, however, the symptoms come on slowly over time, and they may not be immediately obvious to the person.
Diagnosis
There is no single test to determine whether or not someone has vascular dementia. A doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about the person’s medical history and symptoms.
They may also perform tests to rule out other potential causes of the symptoms, including:
Neurocognitive tests
A doctor will likely recommend neurocognitive tests to examine the person’s mental abilities, including their:
- reasoning
- memory
- problem solving
- judgment
- planning
These tests help doctors differentiate between types of dementia. For instance, the National Institute on Aging note that memory loss is more prominent in Alzheimer’s disease, whereas issues with organization, problem solving, and attention may be tied to vascular dementia.
Blood tests
Doctors may need to order laboratory tests to check for health indicators that are not apparent in a person’s recent medical history. This may include tests to check their cholesterol or blood sugar levels.
They may also order additional tests to help rule out other issues that may cause similar symptoms, such as vitamin deficiencies, anemia, and thyroid disorders.
Imaging tests
Imaging tests of the brain can help doctors locate any visible damage or changes in the brain itself, such as the impact of trauma from a stroke.
The sections below describe some imaging tests a doctor may use to diagnose vascular dementia.
MRI scans
MRI scans use radio waves and a magnetic field to produce highly detailed images of the brain. This can help doctors accurately document changes in the brain due to strokes, transient ischemic attacks, or other issues in the blood vessels.
CT scans
A doctor may also recommend a CT scan to show visible changes in the brain or blood vessels. A CT scan takes X-ray images from many angles and compiles them to make a 3D image.
Ultrasound scans
A doctor may also recommend an ultrasound scan to check the carotid arteries, which are the main arteries leading to the brain. Ultrasound scans use high frequencies to take images of soft tissues in the body, such as the arteries.
Other tests
Doctors will also likely check for signs of neurological damage by testing factors such as a person’s:
- balance and coordination
- sense of touch
- reflexes
- muscle tone and strength, including comparing one side of the body with the other to determine any changes
Treatment
There is currently no cure for vascular dementia, as there is no way to reverse damage to the brain. However, it may be possible to slow or sometimes stop the progression of the condition by controlling certain risk factors.
A typical treatment plan for vascular dementia involves taking steps to manage the condition and control any other risk factors.
Doctors will work with the person and their family to make an individualized treatment plan.
Treatment will generally include medication or therapies to treat any underlying cardiovascular diseases, which may help reduce the risk of stroke or other ischemic events. Medications can help manage some of the symptoms, including memory problems.
Care
Doctors will often recommend that the person takes steps to care for their health and reduce their risk factors for vascular dementia.
Home care and preventive measures are still helpful, even if a person already has vascular dementia.
Some tips for managing vascular dementia include:
- getting regular exercise
- maintaining a healthy weight
- eating a healthful diet
- maintaining a healthy blood pressure
- reducing cholesterol
- avoiding or quitting smoking
- limiting alcohol consumption
- controlling or preventing diabetes
- reducing stress levels
Prognosis
The prognosis will vary based on a number of factors, including how well the person can stick to their treatment plan and any home care tips the doctor provides.
Dementia in general and vascular dementia following a stroke can shorten a person’s expected life span. This is different for each person. People can ask their doctor about the outlook for their individual circumstances.
Treatment and prevention efforts can increase a person’s life span and quality of life.
Summary
Vascular dementia refers to damage in the brain from restricted blood flow. It may occur after a stroke or build up over time.
Although there is no outright cure for vascular dementia, it may be possible to slow or halt the progression of the condition.
Proper treatment will include controlling a person’s individual risk factors through medical therapies and making lifestyle changes. Doing so may significantly improve their quality of life and life expectancy.
SOURCE: MEDICAL NEWS TODAY
My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's diseases this neuron disease started 25 years before being revealed it was trigged the moment we started eating sugars including any and almost all carbs that break down to glycerol,and he was placed on the best medical treatment approved by united states,(FDA) he has been taking Cholinesterase,Memantine to treat his memory lose,confusion and the problems with his thinking and reasoning.just to help slow the progression and manage the symptoms,as no cure exists I read through with interest. I once believed Alzheimer disease has no cure. Well it is true with English medicine, but not with herbal medicine. My Dad experience opened my eyes to the reality of a cure through herbs. My Father was a vibrant man before his encounter with Alzheimer. He was a scientist, hence his mental capability was never in doubt. In 2013, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer. The symptoms manifested through repeating conversation and gradually forgetting things. It became progressive from finding the right words during conversation, to significant confusion and forgetting details about himself. It was not a good experience, seeing your father whose brilliance had no match, totally became a shadow of himself. His doctors said the disease has no cure, just medications for treatment which had a lot of side effects were administered to him. Early 2016, while on the internet, I bumped into a story of Alzheimer, and I read about a cure through herbs with interest. I researched more to be sure it was not a hoax. In my quest, Doctor James herbal mix medicine was mentioned in the testimony. I contacted him on his email that was provided (drjamesherbalmix@gmail.com) and I got his herbal mix medicine for my father.He told me that his herbal mix medicine will help my Dad to reduce the abnormal protein fold inside his neurons,and regulate the nutrients and molecules in his body system,and as well stop the progressive disorder that build up in damaging his brain cells,and help his weak cells that causes brain shrinking to function well,its a good herbal drinks for cell reparing.This doctor James is super great man and his herbal mix medicine is wonderful and works effectively as he said,with no side effects. It's been 4 years and my Dad is perfectly okay and back to his laboratory work even at old age. For your loved ones with Alzheimer or Dementia, take them off English medicine and use Dr. James herbal mix medicine for treatment. if you have any kinds of health challenges or diseases such as..Parkinson's disease,Schizophrenia,Lung Cancer,Breast Cancer,Colo-Rectal Cancer,Blood Cancer,Prostate Cancer ,Epilepsy Dupuytren's disease ,Coeliac disease,Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease,Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy, Ataxia,Arthritis,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Fibromyalgia,Fluoroquinolone Toxicity
ReplyDeleteSyndrome Fibrodysplasia Ossificans ProgresS sclerosis,Seizures,Alzheimer's disease,Adrenocortical carcinoma.Asthma,Allergic diseases ,Copd,Glaucoma., Cataracts,Macular degeneration,Cardiovascular disease,Lung disease.Enlarged prostate,Osteoporosis,Lupus,Cushing’s disease,Heart failure,Multiple Sclerosis,Hypertension,Lyme Disease,Blood Cancer,Brain Cancer,Breast Cancer,Lung Cancer,Kidney Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Herpes Virus,Hepatitis B, Liver Inflammatory,Diabetes,Fibroid. just reach him on his Email [drjamesherbalmix@gmail.com]. and get your permanent cure.he's a good man and he will help you.