HealthDay (12/19, Preidt) reports that, according to a study published Dec. 18 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, “older women with heart disease might be at increased risk for dementia.” After tracking some “6,500 US women, aged 65 to 79, who had healthy brain function” at the start of the study, researchers found that women “with heart disease were 29 percent more likely to experience mental decline over time than those without heart disease.” The study authors recommended that women who have undergone bypass surgery or carotid endarterectomy, who have suffered a heart attack, or who are being treated for atrial fibrillation, heart failure or peripheral vascular disease be closely watched by their physicians for signs of cognitive decline.
Related Links:
— “Dementia Risk Might Rise for Older Women With Heart Disease, “Robert Preidt, HealthDay, December 18, 2013.