S4, Ep-3 - Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia

Join Dr Stephanie Daly and her GP colleagues, Drs Hilton Koppe and Rebecca Moore for a fascinating exploration into dementia risk reduction. In light of the 2024 Lancet Commission Report in which it was announced that approximately 45 percent of dementia is attributable to modifiable risk, there are several simple lifestyle modifications which people can institute which may help mitigate their risk of developing dementia.

Resources:

Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Liu, K. Y., Costafreda, S. G., Selbæk, G., Alladi, S., Ames, D., Banerjee, S., Burns, A., Brayne, C., Fox, N. C., Ferri, C. P., Gitlin, L. N., Howard, R., Kales, H. C., Kivimäki, M., Larson, E. B., Nakasujja, N., Rockwood, K., Samus, Q., … Mukadam, N. (2024). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. Lancet (London, England), 404(10452), 572–628. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01296-0

The CogD risk is an online tool available to everyone. It determines areas of strength and challenge in terms of dementia risk and individualised suggestions of ways to attenuate risk. There are also factsheets for GPs to provide patients about diet, exercise and vascular risk.

Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Assessment

Fact Sheets for General Practitioners – Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk Assessment

CPD (RP & MO)

Reflect on the way in which you currently perform your 45 to 49 year old health checks.

Following this podcast, is there anything in your practice that you intend to change?

How might you incorporate a discussion about brain health during the 45-49 year old health check?

Identify three upcoming patients for whom a 45 to 49 year old health check would be appropriate. Recommend they complete the Cog-D risk online tool prior to their appointment.

This time, perform your usual 45 to 49 year old check but incorporate a discussion about brain health and go over their Cog-D risk results. In addition to vascular risk, consider factors including mental health and social isolation, hearing and vision loss and head injury.

How did you find the experience?

How do you think the patients responded?

Do you plan to frame your 45 to 49 year old health checks like this in the future.

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