Recent research has revealed a significant link between having a heart attack and a faster decline in cognition in the following years.
Published in JAMA Neurology, the study observed that a heart attack did not result in a sudden drop in cognitive abilities, but over time, those who suffered one saw a considerably quicker decline in cognition compared to those who did not experience a heart attack.
The decrease in global cognition post-heart attack was equivalent to cognitive aging of six to 13 years.
A heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood supply to the heart is suddenly and severely reduced or cut off, leading to the death of heart muscle cells due to lack of oxygen.
Approximately 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers analyzed data from six large studies of adults between 1971 and 2019 to determine whether people who had heart attacks demonstrated cognitive changes compared to those who had not.
Although there was no significant cognitive decline immediately after their first heart attack, the participants’ cognitive tests showed a decline in the following years.
The study involved 30,465 people who had not experienced a heart attack, stroke, or dementia at the initial cognitive assessment.
Of these, 1,033 individuals had at least one heart attack, and 137 had two. Those who had heart attacks were generally older and male.
Michelle Johansen, an associate professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, stressed the importance of controlling vascular risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, given their link to both heart attacks and cognitive decline.
The researchers plan to investigate other aspects of heart health and their potential impact on brain health.
Johansen notes that their findings suggest preventing heart attacks may be a strategy to maintain brain health in older adults, but further research is needed to identify the specific causes of the observed cognitive decline.
The research received support from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about drinking coffee to prevent heart disease and stroke, and results showing Omega-3 fats may lower risk of irregular heart rhythm.
The study was published in JAMA Neurology.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
