TY - JOUR
T1 - Vascular Risk Factors as Treatment Target to Prevent Cognitive Decline
AU - Richard, Edo
AU - Moll van Charante, Eric P.
AU - van Gool, Willem A.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, and lack of physical exercise are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Neuroradiological and neuropathological studies have confirmed the importance of cerebrovascular lesions in the etiology of late onset dementia. We have reviewed the literature and conclude that up until now randomized controlled clinical trials targeting individual risk factors and assessing cognitive decline or dementia as an outcome have not convincingly shown that treatment of vascular risk factors can actually prevent or postpone cognitive decline and dementia. New studies targeting several vascular risk factors at the same time and using cognitive decline or dementia as primary outcome might answer the question whether cognitive decline can really be postponed or even prevented. The design of such studies is not straightforward and long follow-up is required. In this review we discuss several pertinent methodological issues that need to be addressed to achieve an optimal design of new randomized controlled trials
AB - Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, and lack of physical exercise are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Neuroradiological and neuropathological studies have confirmed the importance of cerebrovascular lesions in the etiology of late onset dementia. We have reviewed the literature and conclude that up until now randomized controlled clinical trials targeting individual risk factors and assessing cognitive decline or dementia as an outcome have not convincingly shown that treatment of vascular risk factors can actually prevent or postpone cognitive decline and dementia. New studies targeting several vascular risk factors at the same time and using cognitive decline or dementia as primary outcome might answer the question whether cognitive decline can really be postponed or even prevented. The design of such studies is not straightforward and long follow-up is required. In this review we discuss several pertinent methodological issues that need to be addressed to achieve an optimal design of new randomized controlled trials
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-2012-120772
DO - https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-2012-120772
M3 - Review article
C2 - 22886011
SN - 1387-2877
VL - 32
SP - 733
EP - 740
JO - Journal of Alzheimer s disease
JF - Journal of Alzheimer s disease
IS - 3
ER -