They face an 80% increased risk.
A new study has revealed that stroke survivors face an 80% higher risk of developing dementia compared to individuals who have never had a stroke. The research, published on December 4 in Neurology, found that nearly 19% of stroke survivors developed dementia over an average follow-up period of six years, compared to just 13% among those without a stroke.
Dr. Raed Joundi, an assistant professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, highlighted that the risk of dementia was actually twice as high as the risk of having a second stroke. He emphasized the need for more research on preventing dementia following a stroke, alongside the focus on preventing recurrent strokes.
The study examined both ischemic strokes, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the brain, and hemorrhagic strokes, caused by bleeding in the brain. Researchers studied nearly 175,000 stroke survivors in Ontario and compared them with an equal number of individuals who had not experienced a stroke. The average age of participants was 69.
The findings showed that stroke survivors experienced about 3.3 cases of dementia per 100 person-years, while those without a stroke had 1.9 cases per 100 person-years. After adjusting for other risk factors such as age, gender, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the study found a 76% increase in the likelihood of dementia among stroke survivors. The risk was highest immediately after a stroke, with survivors being 2.5 times more likely to develop dementia within the first year. The risk declined somewhat over time but remained elevated for up to 20 years.
Dr. Joundi emphasized that as the global rates of dementia continue to rise, understanding the relationship between stroke and dementia risk is increasingly important, especially as more people survive strokes.
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