More People Are Dying from Dementia Than Ever Before, According to New Study
A new study published by The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders came to a startling conclusion. Deaths from dementia have tripled since 1999. In 1999, about 150,000 Americans died from dementia, according to the study. By 2020, that number tripled to over 450,000. The study indicates that the chances of dying from dementia increased among every demographic group.
Dementia deaths triple over 21 years
According to the National Institute on Aging, dementia is defined as the “loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.” According to the study author, dementia has become a leading cause of death because people are living longer or getting diagnosed earlier. “Age is the most significant risk factor for dementia,” said Mohsan Ali, the study author. However, the increased risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity may also be contributing factors, Ali added.
The study indicated that women, Black adults, and those living in rural communities had the greatest increase in dementia deaths. Ali opined that the increased risk in women may be because women live longer than men. However, he believes that there could be biological or genetic factors that make women more susceptible to dementia. In addition, rural areas have limited access to healthcare services, fewer specialists in dementia care, and reduced availability of support services.
The study indicated that Black adults had the highest rate of death, followed by white adults, and Hispanic adults.
Preventing dementia with lifestyle changes
According to the British medical journal, The Lancet, by 2050, the number of people with dementia will double in the U.S. to over 10.5 million and triple globally to over 150 million. Yet despite these alarming statistics, the average person can exert some control over their cognitive health. Much of the new research related to Alzheimer’s and dementia has been focused on modifying risk factors for the disease.
“I am most excited about advances in dementia prevention, because we are learning about a number of lifestyle modifications that are both accessible to most of us and effective,” said Leah Croll, MD, neurologist at Maimonides Health in New York.
The Lancet Commission on Dementia believes that up to 45% of dementia cases may be preventable by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors. These include lifestyle factors that increase the chances of a dementia diagnosis. These included:
- Less education
- Head injury
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Hearing loss
- Depression
- Social isolation
- Vision loss
- Exposure to air pollution later in life
Memory care specialists are honing in on these risk factors as a means of preventing dementia later in life.
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Source:
abcnews.go.com/Health/people-dying-dementia-new-study/story?id=112831623
