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Reduce your risk of dementia by lowering your ‘bad’ cholesterol level, Lancet review says

  • Lancet medical journal review adds 2 risk factors to its list of things that can increase the risk of dementia; one is high LDL cholesterol

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High low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can build up in arteries and clog them, causing problems for the brain as well as the heart. Illustration: Shutterstock
This is the 43rd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers and stories of hope.
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The list of risk factors for dementia keeps growing.

The Lancet family of medical journals established a Commission on Dementia to review the best available evidence from research and produce recommendations on how to best manage, or even prevent, the dementia epidemic.

Managing these dozen risks, the experts said then, could prevent or delay up to 40 per cent of all-cause dementias, including the most common form of dementia – Alzheimer’s disease.
If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, see a doctor for a physical exam. It covers several factors that determine the extent to which you are of being affected by conditions including dementia. Photo: Shutterstock
If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels, see a doctor for a physical exam. It covers several factors that determine the extent to which you are of being affected by conditions including dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

In July, two more risks were added: a high score for low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, and vision loss. Managing these, on top of the other 12, could prevent or delay nearly 50 per cent of all-cause dementias.

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