Vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia, is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often due to strokes or underlying conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. It presents in stages, with symptoms progressively worsening and currently has no cure, though treatment can help slow its progression. Prevention strategies include managing blood pressure, maintaining healthy cholesterol and weight, exercising, and quitting smoking.

1. VASCULAR DEMENTIA
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2. OUTLINE
➢ DEFINITION
➢ EPIDEMIOLOGY
➢ IMPORTANT FACTS
➢ CAUSES
➢ SYMPTOMS
➢ PREVENTION
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3. DEFINITION :
❏ DEMENTIA - A decline in a person’s mental capacities and
intellectual abilities that is great enough to affect the person’s
daily functioning.
❏ VASCULAR DEMENTIA- Vascular dementia, also known
as multi-infarct dementia (MID) and vascular cognitive
impairment(VCI), is dementia caused by problems in the supply
of blood to the brain, typically a minor of strokes, leading to
worsening cognitive decline that occurs step by step.
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4. ● Vascular dementia is the second-most-common form of dementia
after Alzheimer disease(AD) in older adults.
● The Prevalence of the illness is 1.5% in Western countries and
approximately 2.2% in Japan.
● It accounts for 50% of all dementias in Japan, 20% to 40% in Europe
and 15% in Latin America.
● 25% of stroke patients develop new-onset dementia within one year of
their stroke
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VASCULAR
DEMENTIA
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6. 7 MAIN STAGES OF DEMENTIA
STAGE 1: Appears normal and covers up lapses
STAGE 2: Forgets certain things but can otherwise function normally.
STAGE 3: Difficulties at work, become anxious, family becomes aware.
STAGE 4: Reduced ability to count, find travels difficult, can no longer manage own
affairs.
STAGE 5: Needs help getting dressed.
STAGE 6: Needs help eating, needs help using toilet, maybe incontinent, possibly
forgets who they are.
STAGE 7: Severe speech loss, motor stiffness, needs feeding, total disorientation.
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7. CAUSES OF VASCULAR
DEMENTIA
Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, which
damages and eventually kills the brain cells.
This can develop as a result of:
● narrowing and blockage of the small blood vessels inside the brain
● a single stroke (where the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly cut
off)
● lots of "mini strokes" that cause tiny but widespread damage to the brain
In many cases, these problems are linked to underlying conditions – such as
high blood pressure and diabetes – and lifestyle factors such as smoking and
being overweight.
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8. SIGN AND SYMPTOMS
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9. There's currently no cure for vascular dementia and there is no way to reverse
any loss of brain cells that occurred before the condition was diagnosed.
But treatment can sometimes help slow down vascular dementia.
Treatment aims to tackle the underlying cause, which may reduce the speed at
which brain cells are lost. This will often involve:
● eating healthily
● losing weight if you're overweight
● stopping smoking
TREATMENTS FOR
VASCULAR DEMENTIA
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10. ● getting fit
● cutting down on alcohol
● taking medication, such as medicines to
treat high blood pressure, lower
cholesterol or prevent blood clots
Other treatments including physiotherapy,
occupational therapy, dementia activities
(such as memory cafes) and psychological
therapies can help reduce the impact of any
existing problems.
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11. 1. Cholinesterase inhibitors- These medications are used for the
treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. They are chemical agents
that boost the memory and judgment of the patient. The same
is also an effective medication for those suffering from
Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
1. Therapy- Making small changes to some aspects of life of the
patient can often yield good results. For instance, clearing the
clutter and noise in the house can be an effective way of
helping dementia patients deal with their condition. Similarly,
creating a safe environment at home with little chance of
severe accidents, will ensure the safety of the patient.
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12. Stress in caregivers of dementia patients
Dementia patients need to be cared for, ideally by a close family
member such as a spouse.. For instance, Alzheimer’s patients often do
not recognize their caregiver who may also be their spouse. Here are
some burdens that caregivers have to deal with.
1. Anger- The sense of fury towards the patient can be strong after
years of providing care. They may also be frustrated with the fact
that the affected person is unable to perform simple everyday jobs,
such as brushing their teeth or tying their shoelaces.
2. Anxiety- A sense of hopelessness regarding the future is common.
It is also the fear of what new challenges the next day might bring.
3. Depression- Seeing their loved one’s mental state deteriorating
with each passing day can be difficult to handle and pushes some
caregivers into depression.
.
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13. PREVENTION OF VASCULAR
DEMENTIA
➢ MONITOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
➢ MAINTAIN HEALTHY CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
➢ EXERCISE DAILY TO KEEP WEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE CHOLESTEROL
LEVEL IN CHECK
➢ TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT OR MANAGE DIABETES
➢ KICK THE SMOKING HABIT
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14. MONITOR YOUR BLOOD
PRESSURE
Most people diagnosed with vascular
dementia are first diagnosed with high
blood pressure, making this one of the
greatest risk factors for the disease.
● High blood pressure is also a risk factor
for many other serious medical
conditions, including cardiovascular
disease and heart attack, so it is very
important to manage this condition.
Maintain a healthy blood pressure
through a healthy diet and daily
exercise and by eliminating smoking
and excess alcohol consumption.
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15. MAINTAIN HEALTHY
CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
This will serve as effective vascular
dementia prevention and lower the risk for
other serious medical conditions.
● Blood cholesterol levels indicate the
amount of plaque build-up inside the
arteries. By keeping these numbers at
healthy levels, you ensure blood flow to
the brain remains unhindered.
Cholesterol is typically managed
through a low-fat diet and daily
exercise, but some people also need a
cholesterol-lowering medication to
keep numbers in check.
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16. Diabetes can directly affect brain health. If
you already have diabetes, keeping glucose
levels under control can prevent damage to
blood vessels that might contribute to the
onset of dementia symptoms.
● You can also take steps to prevent type
2 diabetes, by maintaining a healthy
weight, adhering to a nutritious, low-fat
diet and exercising daily. If you are at
risk of diabetes, due to a family history
or being overweight, monitor blood
glucose levels regularly with your doctor
TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT OR
MANAGE DIABETES
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17. KICK THE SMOKING HABIT
● Cigarettes are highly damaging to
the entire cardiovascular system,
which can increase the risk of
many related conditions, including
vascular dementia.
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18. THANKS !
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