Diabetes and cardiovascular disease increase dementia risk, study finds

People with at least two of the diseases type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke have double the risk of developing dementia, according to a new study. Those who are living with more than one of the conditions, known as cardiometabolic diseases, showed an accelerated speed of cognitive decline and double the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, expediting their development by two years, researchers in Sweden said. "The study shows that the risk only increases once someone has at least two of the diseases, so it’s possible that dementia can be averted by preventing the development of a second disease.” The correlation between cardiometabolic diseases and the risk for dementia was stronger in the participants who were under 78 years old, according to the study, published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal. “We should therefore focus on cardiometabolic disease prevention already in middle age, since the risk of cognitive failure and dementia appears higher among those who develop a cardiometabolic disease earlier in life,” Ms Dove added. The presence of more than one cardiometabolic disease accelerated the speed of cognitive decline and doubled the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, expediting their development by two years.