Diabetes and Hypertension Tied To Cognitive Decline

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Diabetes and Hypertension Tied To Cognitive Decline
About.com

Having trouble remembering what you did yesterday? How about 10 minutes ago? We all seem to have that experience once in a while and for most of us it is nothing to worry about. But if you have diabetes, or high blood pressure and are under 60 it is something you should be worried about. This may be a very frightening warning sign that your diabetes or blood pressure are not being controlled as well as they could be. This could be a warning that your cognitive abilities have begun to decline.
In a study conducted at the University of Minnesota, researchers found that participants with diabetes or high blood pressure showed a greater rate of decline in mental ability. The full study was reported in the Jan. 9, 2001 issue of Neurology , the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at changes in mental ability over six years and included over 1000 participants between 40 and 70 years of age. The results showed that while all participants showed a degree of decline, the participants with diabetes and high blood pressure had a more significant decline in mental ability. The participants with diabetes showed a higher rate of decline over the six-year period of the study even in the group that was younger than 58 years of age. Of participants with high blood pressure, they did not show a statistical difference until after the age of 58.

Researchers stated they were not sure hoe diabetes and high blood pressure affect cognition, but do theorize that "It could be due to microinfarctions (mini-strokes), that cause tiny areas of brain damage." The author of the study suggests that the results of this study point to the need for more aggressive treatment and control of diabetes and high blood pressure earlier. By controlling these diseases before age 60, there might be a lower rate of cognitive decline in the later years. This translates into quality of life and lower healthcare expenditures as people age.

What Is The Solution?
Both diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) need to be diagnosed early and kept in tight control with diet, exercise and the appropriate medications.

All adults should have a yearly checkup that includes measuring blood pressure and lab tests to evaluate blood sugar levels. This is especially important for people with a family history of diabetes.
Have a yearly eye exam. Subtle changes in eyesight may indicate that measures to control diabetes are not as effective as they should be.
Persons with diabetes should check their blood sugars daily, or more often when they are under stress or have an infection (like a cold or flu). Both stress and infection can cause blood sugars to rise out of control.
Control your weight. Many people with high blood pressure have achieved lower blood pressure and have even been able to eliminate the medications they were taking by losing weight.
If you have high blood pressure, take your medications as ordered. If you experience symptoms, such as dizziness, changes in urination that you think may be caused by the medication contact your doctor. It may be a temporary effect or may mean you need a change in dosage.
Control is the word. Blood pressure less than 140/90 and blood sugar in the normal range will help to maintain memory, cognitive function and quality of life.
updated 11/17/05