Vascular cognitive impairment in diabetes mellitus: are prevention and treatment effective?

Acta Clin Croat. 2014 Sep;53(3):326-33.

Abstract

Vascular dementia is caused by progressive atherosclerosis leading to multiple small strokes and subsequent brain damage. Approximately 10%-20% of all cases of dementia are attributed to vascular dementia. The 5-year survival rate is 39% for patients with vascular dementia compared with 75% for age-matched controls. It is a growing public health concern because of the lack of effective curative treatment options and rising global prevalence. Duration of diabetes mellitus of 10 years or longer, onset of diabetes before age 65, treatment with insulin and oral antidiabetic medications, and presence of diabetes complications have an impact on the incidence of vascular dementia. On the other hand, patients who suffered stroke either had or are later diagnosed with diabetes (16%-24%). Treatment of vascular dementia in diabetes patients rests on a two-pronged approach: modification of the underlying disease and prevention and treatment of dementia symptoms.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / epidemiology
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / etiology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / prevention & control
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / therapy*
  • Croatia / epidemiology
  • Dementia, Vascular / epidemiology
  • Dementia, Vascular / etiology*
  • Dementia, Vascular / prevention & control
  • Dementia, Vascular / therapy*
  • Diabetes Complications / diagnosis
  • Diabetes Complications / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Complications / prevention & control
  • Diabetes Complications / therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / complications*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diet, Diabetic / methods
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Incidence
  • Life Style
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Hypoglycemic Agents