Dizziness linked to increased risk of dementia

DIZZY spells experienced in middle age when standing up have been linked to an increased risk of dementia.

The brief drop in blood pressure that causes the dizziness may result in lasting damage to the brain, scientists believe.

A study found that the effect, known as orthostatic hypotension, upped the chances of developing dementia in old age by 40 per cent.

Lead researcher Dr Andreea Rawlings, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US, said: “Even though these episodes are fleeting, they may have impacts that are long lasting.

“We found that those people who suffered from orthostatic hypotension in middle age were 40 per cent more likely to develop dementia than those who did not. We need to better understand just what is happening.”

The team tested 11,503 people with an average age of 54 who were taking part in a large study looking at the risk of artery disease in four US communities.

After lying down for 20 minutes, each participant was asked to stand and had his or her blood pressure taken.

Orthostatic hypotension was defined as a drop of at least 20 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) in systolic blood pressure and at least 10 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure.

The first reading measures blood pressure with each pump of the heart and the second pressure between beats.

Roughly six per cent of the participants met the criteria for orthostatic hypotension. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Epi/Lifestyle 2017 meeting in Portland, Oregon.