Researchers from the US, Taiwan and South Korea found that patients with cognitive impairment have a 39% higher risk of stroke in the future compared to patients with normal cognitive functions.. This is reported in the latest issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

Cognitive impairment ranges from mild and subtle problems with memory and thinking to severe impairments in which a person loses the ability to work and perform daily activities, according to Pannochka, an online publication for girls and women aged 14 to 35.. net With severe cognitive impairment, people may not understand speech, the meaning of words and inscriptions, are unable to think through actions and make plans, and are unable to live independently.

Cognitive impairment can be caused by various diseases and conditions, and they do not fit into any narrow group.. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, stroke, brain injury, congenital abnormalities can all cause cognitive impairment..

Signs of cognitive impairment may include:.

• Memory impairment • Trouble learning new things • Lack of concentration • Frequently asking questions and telling the same story • Trouble recognizing people, places, and objects • Changes in behavior and mood • Difficulties with reasoning and planning • Visual impairment More than 16,000,000 Americans live today. Globally, the #2 killer is stroke, which is especially dangerous for the elderly.. In the US, a stroke claims 125,000 lives each year..

Several previous studies that have analyzed the association between cognitive impairment and stroke risk have yielded indeterminate results.. Scientists from the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina (USA), together with their foreign colleagues, decided to put an end to this issue..

“Given the significant increase in the number of older people around the world, experts predict an increase in the number of cases of cognitive impairment in the next few decades, especially in high-income countries,” says Bruce Ovbiagele, a university fellow.

The authors selected 18 cohort studies and conducted a meta-analysis that included 121,879 participants and 7,799 strokes.. Most of the research was done in North America and Europe. One was conducted in Taiwan, three more by international teams of scientists. All but one study included both sexes.

To determine cognitive impairment, the MMSE test (mini-mental state examination), which is also called a neurocognitive test, was used.. The number of points that test participants could score ranged from 0 to 30.. The test was divided into two parts, each with its own scores.. The MMSE result showed how affected the patient's cognitive abilities (a result of 25-30 points is considered normal).

These data were analyzed, patients with signs of a cognitive deficit (MMSE below 25 points) were selected, after which scientists calculated the likelihood of a stroke in them and compared with the risk in patients with normal intelligence.. It turned out that cognitive impairment increases the risk of ischemic stroke, namely stroke with a fatal outcome..

In a detailed analysis, taking into account the outcome of stroke (fatal, non-fatal) and its type (ischemic, hemorrhagic), scientists concluded that cognitive deficits are associated with an increased risk of only fatal and only ischemic stroke..

The authors of the study write in their article: “We found that the risk of stroke in the future is 39% higher in patients who had cognitive impairment at the beginning of the follow-up.. This risk is as much as 64% higher when using the broader concept of cognitive impairment.”.

Past studies have shown that atherosclerosis and inflammation are associated with an increased risk of both stroke and cognitive impairment.. Coronary artery calcification is also associated with poor memory in middle age and an increased likelihood of stroke in the general population..

Cognitive impairment is somehow associated with high blood pressure variability, which itself is a risk factor for stroke.. Finally, cognitive impairment can lead to poor compliance (patients take medication incorrectly and irregularly), malnutrition, depression, physical inactivity.

“Cognitive deficiency should serve as a wake-up call for physicians as a possible early sign of impaired cerebral circulation.; then measures will be taken in time to eliminate risk factors for stroke, which will help preserve the mental health of patients in the future,” the authors concluded..

medbe. en.