Study of Cognitive Impairment and Existing Co-Morbidities Observed Among Geriatric Population in an Urban Slum

摘要

"Background: Among vascular risk factors, chronic arterial hyperten-sion is a major contributor to cogni-tive impairment. Hypertension im-portant risk factor for cerebrovascu-lar pathology leading to stroke and dementia Objectives:1. To study certain risk factors of cognitive impairment and suspected dementia like hyperten-sion, diabetes, ischemic heart dis-ease, cerebro-vascular disease.2. To study the association of addiction with cognitive impairment and de-mentia. Methods: The study was communi-ty based descriptive study with cross sectional design. The period of study was from January 2005 to June 2006. Result: Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and suspected demen-tia was 18.6% and 4.1% respective-ly. Out of the total 242 respondents 88 were known to have hyperten-sion. They had higher proportion of cognitive impairment (26.2%). Conclusions: Known hypertensive’s had higher proportion of cognitive impairment as compared to those with no history of hypertension. But the duration or treatment of hyper-tension was not found to be associ-ated with cognitive status. The study showed no association of di-abetes with the cognitive status. In-dividuals with cerebrovascular dis-ease showed significantly higher proportion of cognitive impairment.