Feeling Dizzy When Standing Up Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia

People who feel dizzy when they stand up quickly have a 15 per cent increased risk of suffering from dementia in later life, new research suggests.

    A 24-year study of more than 6,000 people, found a stark link between the chances of developing any form of the neurological disease, including Alzheimer’s, and experiencing orthastatic hypotension, which can trigger head rushes or dizzy spells.

    Scientists at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands suspect the link could be explained by brain tissue damage caused by a temporary starvation of oxygen during the sudden drop in blood pressure, reported The Telegraph.

    Between 1990 and 1992 they monitored 6,204 men and women, with an average age of 68, who had no history of dementia or stroke.

    After an average follow-up time of 15 years, 19 per cent of the participants had developed dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s dementia.

    Of the 1,152 who had dizzy spells or head rushes when they stood up quickly between 1990 and 1992, there was a 15 per cent relative increase in all dementia types.

    The association was even more pronounced for those who didn’t have a compensatory increase in heart rate during the momentary drop in blood pressure, with a 39 per cent increase in long-term dementia risk.

Source: QNA