Dementia, stroke and heart disease share common risks. Stroke increases the possibility of heart disease and doubles the chances of developing dementia. Risk factors include hypertension, lack of exercise and a diet high on salt, sugar and fats. The common protective factor is educating people on the dangers, said Vladimir Hachinski of Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
At the 41st T.S. Srinivasan Endowment Oration titled “Promoting brain health to prevent dementia, heart disease and stroke” held virtually on Saturday, he explained that brain health was essential for physical and mental health, social well-being, productivity and creativity, calling for making brain health the priority worldwide.
Communities should develop common measures and definitions to enhance research and policy and apply comprehensive customised, cost-effective preventive solutions, Dr. Hachinski said. “Stroke, heart disease and dementia, the greatest threats to the brain, are increasing worldwide and the situation will get worse in India.” Even medical practitioners think dementia is a natural part of ageing, a point borne out by the fact that only 27 of the 194 member countries who approved WHO’s global action plan on public health response to dementia, have functioning dementia risk reduction campaigns, he said. Ischaemic heart disease, stroke and dementia are set to affect 158.6 million, 122.4 million and 74.7 million people respectively. Even air pollution played a part. What happens in New Delhi would impact far off Canada, he said. Pollution harmed the heart, stressed the lungs and damaged the brain.
“We breathe the same air in the bio-hemisphere since there are jet-streams of air in the atmosphere that move across oceans and continents. For example, pollution in New Delhi would affect even far off Canada. The urgency to do something to reduce pollution increases with each passing year,” he said.
At least half of all strokes were preventable and yet only one in four people could identify a single risk factor, he said.
A family history of high blood pressure should be enough to monitor and control BP by cutting salt intake and exercising regularly. In the case of family history of diabetes, the emphasis was on ensuring that there was no weight gain. “This would enhance brain health, which is the basis for overall health and in the long term decrease the chances of having a stroke, or a heart attack or dementia,” he said.
The T.S. Srinivasan Oration held in memory of T.S. Srinivasan, is supported by the T.S. Srinivasan Charitable Trust, said Venu Srinivasan, patron and chairman of TVS Motor Company.
Neurokrish co-organised the event.
