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- Afib- Blood Pressure- Dementia Risk
Afib- Blood Pressure- Dementia Risk
Blood pressure control <130mmHG was shown to lower the dementia risk with similar benefits for patients aged 50-59 and 60-69 with initially uncontrolled blood pressure at the time of AF diagnosis…”
I am a cancer survivor who lives with chemobrain. Despite my brain health therapies, I worry about my dementia risk. I’m also a guy in his 60’s so I worry about dementia/brain health like most ever other person my age.
To complicate my brain health a bit more, I live with chemotherapy-induced atrial fibrillation (Afib). According to the article linked below, my blood pressure may increase my risk of dementia when I get older if I don’t keep a lid on it. My interpretation of the article below is that I am exactly the type of person the study is speaking to.
My cardiologist prescribed metoprolol when I met with him recently. He wanted me to reduce my BP from 133/92 to below 120/80. Metoprolol’s long list of side effects made me want to try to reduce my not-too-high BP with diet, exercise, nutrition and supplementation before I consider a therapy that might lead to a host of short, long-term and late stage side effects.
So after some research I added what I consider to be evidence-based but non-toxic therapies to lower my BP.
My blood pressure lowering regimen is as follows:
- Daily moderate exercise- I start my day a my local LifeTime Fitness. I spend an hour on an eliptical. But I move so slowly that you would think I was walking…
- Nutrition- little animal protein, less red meat, little animal fat, lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains-
- Nutritional supplementation-grape seed extract, CocoaVie, omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, resveratrol,
- Three glasses of wine each week- my wife is a chef- I enjoy a glass of wine with many of her meals…
I went to the Cleveland Clinic yesterday- my BP is down below 120/80. I may consider conventional BP therapies some day, but for now, I will keep on with the above listed therapies that are managing my BP.
Do you have atrial fibrillation? Do you want to lower your blood pressure? Scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.
Thanks,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recoommended Reading:
- AYA, Childhood Cancer Survivors’ Future Risk of Heart Disease
- A-fib therapies- Catheter Ablation, Drug Therapy or… Nothing?
- Coffee, Afib, Cardiomyopathy and Cancer Survivor
Blood pressure control reduces dementia risk in mid-life patients with atrial fibrillation
“Dementia risk in mid-life patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) can be reduced by controlling high blood pressure, according to a study presented today at EHRA 2019, a congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Study author Dr. Daehoon Kim said that AF patients in their 50s and 60s can benefit from lowering their systolic blood pressure(SBP) to 120-129 mmHg, as compared to those with continuously high SBP over 140mmHg.
“It was surprising. We all know that AF is associated with higher risk of dementia, but there was no certain way to protect against AF-associated dementia…”
AF, the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the general elderly population, increases stroke risk by a factor of four to five times that of the general population. It has also been associated with cognitive impairment and dementia, even in patients without a prior diagnosed stroke.
Previous studies have suggested that hypertension in mid-life increases the risk of dementia in later life, leading it to be included as a probable risk factor in dementia prevention guidelines.2..
“Strict blood pressure control in midlife can help to prevent atrial fibrillation-associated dementia,” Dr. Kim asserted. “However, in those who have entered into later life (over 70 years old), blood pressure control might be of little help…”
Blood pressure control <130mmHG was shown to lower the dementia risk with similar benefits for patients aged 50-59 and 60-69 with initially uncontrolled blood pressure at the time of AF diagnosis…”
Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of dementia amongst older adults even in the absence of stroke
“Atrial fibrillation increases risk of stroke, and thus risk of cognitive impairment and demen-tia. Emerging evidence suggests an association also in the absence of stroke. We aimed to examine the association between atrial fibrillation and inci-dent dementia, with and without exclusion of individuals with stroke, and if sex and genetic factors modify the possible association…”