3 heart conditions that damage brain health

2024-10-12 22:15:00, Shëndeti CNA

What's good for your heart is good for your brain, says the American Heart Association (AHA). The same risk factors that contribute to making heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide also contribute to the growing global prevalence of brain diseases, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

In a new scientific statement published in the journal Stroke, the AHA revealed three heart conditions that can affect brain health, including cognitive impairment, says EatingWell. Dr. Fernando D. Testai, chair of the AHA statement writing group and professor of neurology and rehabilitation, and director of the vascular neurology fellowship, at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, says that “managing heart health from an early age is important to prevent cardiovascular disease and cardiac events, protect brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline in later life.”

Here are three heart conditions identified by the AHA that affect your brain:

• Atrial fibrillation. Also known as A-fib, this is the most common heart rhythm disorder affecting 2.7 million American adults in 2020. These numbers are expected to increase to 16 million by 2050. A-fib increases the risk of stroke in brain, which can damage the brain. The researchers found that A-fib also increased the risk of cognitive impairment by 39%. The reason is that people with A-fib can't pump as much blood to the areas of the brain that are responsible for cognitive function. A-fib is also linked to inflammation, which can increase the risk of blood clots and brain damage.

• Heart failure. There are many causes of heart failure, which occurs when the heart muscle weakens and does not pump blood efficiently. These include A-fib, atrial flutter, heart attack, obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure and smoking. Heart failure results in less blood being pumped to the body and brain with each heartbeat. Therefore, less oxygen and nutrients are being supplied to the brain, leading to decline over time. The new study found that nearly 50% of people with heart failure had some type of cognitive impairment that affected executive function. Executive function refers to the skills you use to manage everyday tasks such as making plans, solving problems, and adapting to new situations. The three main skills are working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.

• Coronary heart diseases. Coronary heart disease, or CHD, refers to the buildup of plaque in the arteries around the heart that can cause a stroke or heart attack. The researchers found that people with CHD had a 27% higher risk of developing dementia compared to those without CHD. The reason is similar to the other two heart diseases. People with CHD are more prone to brain damage due to reduced blood flow to the organ.

Testai said recent evidence links genetic predisposition to cardiovascular health and brain structure. If you have inherited risk factors for heart disease or dementia, you may be at risk for the other. Since there is no current cure for Alzheimer's disease, prevention is the best way. Get started with the AHA's Life's Essential 8 prevention program to improve heart and brain health./ CNA