Link Between Covert Stokes and Dementia

June is Stroke Awareness month in Canada and we are still learning much about this leading cause of death and disability worldwide.   Understanding the link between stroke and dementia is a relatively new discovery and current research into covert strokes reveals how these hidden strokes can be responsible for at least a third of all dementia.

Clinical strokes are a medical emergency that can be recognized by facial drooping, arm weakness or paralysis and slurred or jumbled speech.  If treated quickly,  permanent damage can be avoided and blood flow returned to normal.  However covert stokes, which have no obvious outward symptoms, can occur without anyone’s knowledge, weakening connections in the brain which affect the ability to process information, problem solve, plan, make decisions, organize, reason and avoid getting lost.  These higher or executive brain functions can be impaired as a result of covert strokes and cause dementia.  Having a stroke more than doubles your risk of developing dementia, according to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Although stroke can occur at any age, the older you are, the greater your risk for stroke and dementia.  Other risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and a sedentary lifestyle.  Sitting is often referred to as the new smoking;  physical inactivity poses a serious threat to our health.

By employing preventative measures, the risk for stroke and dementia can be reduced by up to 50 per cent.  And if you have already suffered a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), secondary prevention can help prevent a new stroke from occurring.  By treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation and diabetes as well as quitting smoking, improving physical fitness and diet and limiting alcohol consumption,  the risk of a second stroke can be reduced.

To learn more about stroke recovery and preventing another stoke visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation website at: http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.9358083/k.721D/Preventing_another_stroke.htm or  The Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery at http://www.strokengine.ca/ .