The same risk factors that contribute to making heart disease the leading cause of death worldwide also impact the rising global prevalence of brain disease, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Global deaths and disability from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias continue to rise, creating a growing worldwide health burden. The American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2026 Update reports that 57 million people were living with dementia in 2021, with dementia-related deaths climbing sharply in recent years. While heart disease still causes more deaths overall, the accelerating impact of dementia highlights the need for stronger prevention, earlier detection, and long-term care support.
“The rise in brain diseases like dementia continues to accelerate, and we’re seeing just how closely brain health is tied to vascular health,” said Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University. “As we learn more about how aging and cardiovascular risk factors shape dementia risk, it’s increasingly clear that protecting vascular health can help people maintain both heart and brain function as they age.”
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According to the statistics update, people with midlife hypertension were five times more likely to experience impairment on global cognition and about twice as likely to experience reduced executive function, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The risk for dementia associated with heart failure was nearly two-fold.
Experts recommend maintaining a healthy weight, managing your blood pressure and following other heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors that can also support good brain health while studies show maintaining good vascular health is associated with healthy aging and retained cognitive function.
Optimal brain health includes the ability to perform tasks like movement, perception, learning and memory, communication, problem solving, judgment, decision making and emotion. Cognitive decline and dementia are often seen following stroke or cerebrovascular disease and indicate a decline in brain health.
Consider these steps to live a healthier lifestyle and protect your heart and brain health:
- Don’t smoke; avoid secondhand smoke.
- Reach and maintain a healthy weight. Be mindful of your eating habits; eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars.
- Be physically active. Start slowly and build up to at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) each week. As an alternative, you can do 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of the two, to improve overall cardiovascular health.
- Get your blood pressure checked regularly and work with your health care team to manage it if it’s high.
- Have regular medical checkups and take your medicine as directed.
- Decrease your stress level and seek emotional support when needed.
Learn more about the relationship between heart health and brain health at heart.org.
(Family Features)
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