PTS, Inc. Hails New Study Linking High Cholesterol Levels To Increased Risk For Developing Alzheimer's Disease Or Vascular Dementia

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Cholesterol
Article Date: 19 Aug 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Polymer Technology Systems, Inc. (PTS, Inc.), manufacturer of the CardioChek® PA point-of-care instrument and the CardioChek® home cholesterol analyzer, released a statement hailing the new study by Kaiser Permanente that suggests high cholesterol levels are a significant risk factor for developing dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) later in life.

The results of the study were published in the journal Dementia & Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. The research study tracked 9,844 men and women for four decades, starting when the participants were between 40 and 45. After controlling for weight, hypertension and diabetes, researchers discovered a significant link between borderline-high cholesterol and dementia. The study concluded that people as young as 40 with borderline or high cholesterol levels are at increased risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease or vascular dementia. Previous studies have linked heart and brain health, but this study is the first to examine the association between borderline cholesterol levels and dementia.

Know Your Numbers

The participants in the study, who had high cholesterol, or a value of 240 mg/dL or more, had a 66 percent greater risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease later in life. People with borderline-high cholesterol, between 200 and 239, had a 25 percent spike in risk. According to the American Heart Association, more than 106 million Americans reportedly have borderline-high cholesterol levels.

"The continued emergence of research findings such as these strongly reinforces the rationale for including cholesterol screenings as an integral part of healthcare preventative maintenance, not only regarding heart disease and diabetes, but also concerning the development of dementia and Alzheimer's Disease," said Robert Huffstodt, President and CEO of PTS, Inc. "With our CardioChek PA point-of-care cholesterol testing instrument for healthcare professionals and CardioChek analyzer for home testing, we have urged the public for years to 'Know Your Numbers,' referring to knowing your cholesterol level numbers as a way of reducing your risk of serious health complications, or, when dealing with these health challenges, checking your 'numbers' as an important part of improving health outcomes."

Source
Polymer Technology Systems, Inc.