PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Approximately 6 million Americans suffer from dementia, but that number is expected to increase by 8 million over the next 50 years.
While Alzheimer’s disease gets a great deal of attention, it is important to realize that dementia has a wide variety of causes.
Dementia is progressive and worsens the ability to make decisions and conduct everyday activities. Alzheimer’s is widely studied, but other causes, like mini strokes and uncontrolled high blood pressure, play a role.
In addition, a lifetime of poor diet and or alcohol and drug abuse can contribute.
Treatments are certainly not close to perfect, but work continues to be done, and a public health road map called the Healthy Brain Initiative is underway and designed to provide support in research, public education and development of partnerships.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.