Tag

Risk Factors

All articles tagged with #risk factors

health1 day ago•15 min saved

Could a Diagonal Earlobe Crease Signal Heart Health?

A diagonal earlobe crease, known as Frank’s sign, may be linked to higher cardiovascular risk, but it is not a diagnosis. Doctors say it should be seen as a possible clue alongside standard risk assessments and tests. If you notice a crease, discuss it with your physician, while continuing heart‑healthy habits (managing blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, activity, and smoking) and pursuing appropriate evaluations based on your overall risk profile.

via HuffPost|

#cardiovascular-disease #earlobe-crease #franks-sign

health17 days ago•55 min saved

Three Midlife Habits Could Add 13 Dementia-Free Years

A study published in Neurology Open Access followed more than 12,000 people for about 26 years. Starting in midlife (ages 45–65), researchers found that keeping blood pressure normal, remaining diabetes-free, and not smoking were each associated with more years lived without dementia; those with all three healthy factors lived roughly 13 years longer dementia-free than smokers with high blood pressure and diabetes. The study shows association, not causation, but supports the idea that midlife vascular health and lifestyle choices can influence dementia risk, alongside other factors like activity and social engagement. The World Health Organization has guidelines emphasizing multiple modifiable risk factors to reduce dementia risk overall.

via AOL.com|

#blood-pressure #dementia #health

health18 days ago•3 min saved

Midlife vascular health linked to 13 extra dementia-free years, study finds

A 26-year study of about 12,400 middle-aged Americans found that avoiding diabetes, hypertension, and smoking in midlife was linked to roughly 13 more dementia-free years, reinforcing that better vascular health can delay cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk.

via NBC News|

#dementia #health #midlife

health20 days ago•202 min saved

Three Midlife Health Factors May Delay Dementia Onset by 13 Years

New Neurology Open Access findings show that midlife type 2 diabetes, smoking, and high blood pressure substantially raise dementia risk; people with all three risk factors were more than twice as likely to develop dementia, and those with none had about 30 dementia-free years versus 17.5 years with all three, suggesting a potential ~13-year delay if vascular risks are managed. The study shows association, not causation, and experts urge lifestyle changes—DASH-style diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and quitting smoking—to protect brain health.

via CNN|

#dementia #diabetes #health

health1 month ago•2 min saved

WHO outlines life-course plan to prevent nearly half of dementia cases

WHO's new guidelines say roughly 45% of dementia cases are preventable by addressing modifiable risk factors across life—like quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, staying physically and socially active, managing hypertension and diabetes, and reducing air pollution; cognitive training and social engagement are recommended, but vitamin supplements lack evidence. With about 57 million people living with dementia and 10 million new cases each year, the guidelines urge governments to implement evidence-based actions to protect brain health.

via 7NEWS|

#dementia #health #lifestyle

health1 month ago•4 min saved

Dementia Risk Varies by Country, Study Finds

A large international study of over 214,000 older adults across 14 countries shows that preventable dementia risk factors differ widely by geography, with patterns such as cardiovascular risks and smoking clustering remaining similar across settings. The findings argue for country-specific prevention strategies rather than a universal plan, while highlighting that some risk patterns are global; future research will broaden country coverage and explore additional factors like sleep.

via SciTechDaily|

#aging #dementia #global-study

world1 month ago•2 min saved

WHO: Modifiable factors could cut up to 45% of dementia risk

The World Health Organization says up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, and the management of chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, with a push for early awareness, integrated care, and investment since there is no cure and the global cost of dementia runs about $1.3 trillion annually.

via CTV News|

#dementia #prevention #public-health

health1 month ago•7 min saved

Medications Narrow the Obesity-Heart Risk Gap in Older Adults, Lancet Finds

A Lancet analysis of 1 million adults across 110 datasets (1990–2024) finds that people aged 40–79 with overweight or obesity have seen sharper improvements in blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol than normal-weight peers, leading to risk-factor levels by ages 60–70 that rival or exceed those of normal BMI. Younger adults under 40 do not show the same convergence. The changes are likely driven by wider use of affordable antihypertensives and statins, but the study is observational and obesity remains linked to other health risks; obesity drugs were not included, underscoring the need for prevention in youth.

via STAT|

#blood-pressure #cardiovascular-disease #health

health2 months ago•4 min saved

Sex-Specific Dementia Risks: Women Suffer Greater Cognitive Impact From Key Factors

A UC San Diego study of over 17,000 midlife and older adults finds that several dementia risk factors—such as depression, physical inactivity, hearing loss, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes—affect women’s cognition more strongly than men’s, indicating prevention may be more effective when tailored by sex.

via SciTechDaily|

#dementia #health #prevention

health2 months ago•5 min saved

Seeing Ahead: Retina Clues Alzheimer's Risk Revealed by AI

Researchers analyzed 62,876 retinal photos from more than 40,000 UK Biobank participants with deep learning to predict 12 Alzheimer's-related risk factors. They found retinal features like vascular stiffening, reduced vessel density, and thinning of the optic nerve linked to later risk, suggesting retinal imaging could flag at-risk individuals years before symptoms (though it cannot diagnose the disease). The study highlights retina as an integrated biomarker of cumulative risk and was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers-disease #artificial-intelligence #health

health2 months ago•3 min saved

Midlife habits lower dementia risk even as total cases rise

Dementia cases are projected to rise with aging populations, but an individual’s risk at a given age has fallen for decades in wealthy countries thanks to better blood pressure and cholesterol management, reduced smoking, and longer education. A Lancet commission estimates up to 45% of dementia could be prevented or delayed by addressing 14 risk factors, with midlife offering the biggest opportunities. Practical steps include treating cardiovascular risks, not smoking, staying physically active, monitoring hearing and vision, continuing to learn, and moderating alcohol; newer findings also hint that vaccines like the shingles vaccine may support brain health.

via vox.com|

#aging #brain-health #dementia

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Women Hit Harder by Some Dementia Risk Factors, Study Finds

A study of 17,182 adults found that certain dementia risk factors have a larger negative impact on women’s cognition than men’s, and that women accumulate more risk factors over life. Depression, inactivity, and sleep problems are more common in women, while hearing loss, diabetes, and heavy alcohol use are more common in men. High blood pressure, hearing loss, and diabetes were linked to greater cognitive decline in women, and higher BMI affected women in their 50s–60s. Conversely, years of education and total cholesterol showed positive associations with cognition. The results suggest sex-specific prevention strategies, though causality can’t be proven, and note that two-thirds of US Alzheimer’s patients are women.

via ScienceAlert|

#cognition #dementia #risk-factors

health3 months ago•6 min saved

HPV vaccination and lifestyle changes may curb rising head and neck cancers

Head and neck cancers, especially oral cavity and pharynx, are rising in the U.S. and globally, with HPV now a leading risk factor. Prevention centers on HPV vaccination (two doses at 11–12 years, can start 9–26, approved up to 45) and lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and reducing alcohol use, which substantially lower risk. There is no broad screening, and five-year survival is about 70%.

via The Washington Post|

#head-and-neck-cancer #health #hpv

health3 months ago•4 min saved

Celebrity death spotlights atherosclerotic heart disease and prevention

USA TODAY reports that Nicholas Brendon died from atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with a 90% blockage in his right coronary artery. The piece explains how plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) and long-standing high blood pressure damage the heart, outlines common risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking), and stresses that heart disease is largely preventable through lifestyle changes and the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, including diet, exercise, not smoking, sleep, weight management, and monitoring lipids, blood pressure and glucose.

via USA Today|

#atherosclerosis #health #heart-disease

health4 months ago•26 min saved

Record-Size UK Study Pins 15 Modifiable Drivers of Early Dementia

A landmark UK Biobank study of adults under 65 without dementia tested 39 risk factors across social, genetic, lifestyle, and health domains and identified 15 linked to early dementia, including alcohol use, depression, vitamin D deficiency, and social isolation, making it the largest and most robust analysis of its kind and suggesting multiple modifiable levers to reduce risk.

via ZME Science|

#alcohol-use #dementia #health