Feeling dizzy linked to increased risk of dementia
People who feel dizzy when they quickly stand up have a 15 per cent increased risk of getting dementia late in life, new research suggests.
A 24-year-old study of 6,000 people found a link between the chances of developing neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s, and experiencing orthastatic hypotension, which can cause dizziness.
The scientists at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands believe brain tissue damage may be caused by a temporary starvation of oxygen during the sudden drop in blood pressure.
The researchers monitored ,204 men and women, with an average age of 68, who had no history of dementia or stroke, between 1990 and 1992. They followed up 15 years later, finding 19 per cent of the participants had developed dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s dementia. The 1,152 participants, who had dizzy spells or head rushes when they stood up quickly between 1990 and 1992, has a 15 per cent increase in all dementia types.
"These findings suggest that transient cerebral hypoperfusion plays a role in the aetiology of dementia and that further studies are warranted to investigate the effects of hypoperfusion and treatment of orthostatic hypotension on markers of neurodegenerative disease and cognition," the study authors said.
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