A study by Johns Hopkins Medicine has revealed a significant connection between heart attacks and accelerated cognitive decline in adults. Analyzing data published in JAMA Neurology, researchers found that while heart attacks do not cause immediate cognitive impairment, they lead to a substantial increase in cognitive aging within the subsequent years—equating to six to 13 years of cognitive decline. The study focused on over 30,000 participants who had not experienced a heart attack or stroke before, concluding that individuals who had heart attacks exhibited faster cognitive deterioration compared to those who had not.
The study emphasizes the importance of managing vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol to help maintain brain health. It serves as a call to action for individuals at risk of heart attacks, highlighting the long-term cognitive repercussions of such events. Future research aims to explore the specific factors contributing to cognitive decline post-heart attack, potentially guiding strategies to protect brain health in older adults. The findings underscore the critical need for heart health prevention as a means to preserve cognitive function.
