What IS Dementia?
What is Dementia? Dementia is caused by a disease. The term dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. There are 4 main similar diseases that cause dementia: Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, and Frontotemporal Dementia. Other rarer diseases and conditions can also cause dementia.
Vascular dementia, a lack of blood flow to a part of the brain that eventually kills brain cells is the second most common form while Alzheimer’s accounts for 60-80% of cases. Vascular dementia can develop after a stroke, heart disease, or hardening of the arteries. Factors that increase your risk of heart disease and stroke are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes.
Managing these factors can reduce your chances of getting vascular dementia or slowing down the progression. The life expectancy for vascular dementia is about five years after the first symptoms appear.
The causes for Alzheimer's go beyond genetics or unhealthy habits. It is thought to be causes by a abnormal build-up of proteins in the brain cells. The cause of the build up is yet unknown. Alzheimer’s disease may have a longer life expectancy and different stages than other types of dementia. Depending on what type of dementia you are dealing with, consult your physician.