According to the 2019 statistics on the Alzheimerís Association website, almost six million people in the United States have Alzheimerís disease or another form of dementia. The website states that by 2050, that number is projected to more than double.New research, led and funded by the Alzheimerís Association, indicates a strong connection between an overall healthy lifestyle and reducing the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and dementia.The Alzheimerís Association website defines Alzheimerís as the most common form of dementia, which is a general term used to describe memory loss and other cognitive impairments that are serious enough to interfere with daily life.ìAlzheimerís is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years,î the website states.ìIn its early stages, memory loss is mild; but, with late-stage Alzheimerís, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment.îJim Herlihy, senior director of marketing and communications for the Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimerís Association, said, ìNot everyone who develops mild cognitive impairment gets Alzheimerís, but everyone who has Alzheimerís has mild cognitive impairment,î he said.One set of data resulted from a clinical trial of two groups of people who had high blood pressure, Herlihy said. One group was given medication to control their blood pressure and the other was given a placebo, he said.The group that received the medication and successfully reduced their systolic number ó the top number in a blood pressure reading that refers to the amount of pressure in oneís arteries as the heart muscle contracts ó to 120 or lower saw a measurable correlation to reduced development of MIC impairment, Herlihy said.ìThis study was the first study that had such a direct outcome that the doctors involved in the study terminated it early,î Herlihy said. ìThey could not in good conscience keep the control group from taking the medication.îThe medication required in the study was not a new one or anything outside of what is a currently accepted medical practice for reducing elevated blood pressure, he said.A new study being conducted by the Alzheimerís Association started in the fall of 2019, and is a follow-up to similar studies conducted on smaller scales around the world, Herlihy said. The study will document that leading a healthier lifestyle, including a healthier diet, exercise, socialization and mental stimulation will reduce oneís propensity to develop Alzheimerís, he said.ìA healthier lifestyle is not considered a cure or prevention for Alzheimerís but certainly a risk reduction,î Herlihy said. ìOur umbrella approach is to keep your body healthy with controlled blood pressure, cholesterol, diet and overall providing a healthier environment for the brain to continue working at an optimum level.î
