Alzheimer's Society explains what vascular dementia is
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Diagnosed with vascular dementia “about three years ago”, David Bailey described the condition as a “f*****g bore – but it’s just one of those things”. Drawn towards the light, and not towards the darkness of the condition, David quipped: “In some ways it’s good: I can see a film and forget it, then enjoy it again two years later.” The father of Sascha, Fenton, and Paloma told The Guardian: “It doesn’t seem to affect my work at all.”
Vascular dementia is a life-limiting condition that the British Heart Foundation (BHF) stated “shares many risk factors as a heart attack and stroke”.
It’s for this reason that people, on average, live with vascular dementia for around five years after symptoms begin.
Aware of his own mortality, David added: “You make the most of every day, because there might not be a tomorrow.”
Speaking about his fourth wife, Catherine Dyer, David said: “Catherine and I have been together 40 years.
READ MORE: Alzheimer’s disease: Your specific sleeping pattern could determine your risk of decline
“That’s a long time. Especially when you’ve only got three months’ memory.”
Vascular dementia
This type of dementia is the “second most common” form of the brain condition, said the charity Dementia Matters.
Vascular dementia occurs when the blood supply to the brain is damaged or cut off, resulting in brain cells dying.
This can happen suddenly following a stroke, or after a series of mini-strokes.
The mini-strokes can go unnoticed to begin with, so it can be a shock when vascular dementia takes hold.
“Vascular dementia can also be caused by thickening of the walls of blood vessels in the brain,” the charity added.
This too reduces blood flow to the brain, causing memory and coordination issues.
Symptoms of vascular dementia
The NHS pointed out that symptoms can “start suddenly or gradually”, usually worsening over time.
Early signs of vascular dementia can include mild:
- Slowness of thought
- Difficulty with planning
- Trouble with understanding
- Problems with concentration
- Changes to your mood or behaviour
- Problems with memory and language.
“At the beginning, these problems may be barely noticeable or mistaken for something else, such as depression,” the national health service made clear.
“But they indicate some brain damage has happened and that treatment is needed.”
As the condition progresses, the symptoms worsen; this can happen in “sudden steps every few months” or it can take a number of years.
Additional symptoms can include:
- Feeling disoriented and confused
- Difficulty finding the right words
- Severe personality changes, such as becoming aggressive
- Finding it difficult to walk and keep balance, with frequent falls
- Loss of bladder control.
If noted at an earlier stage, treatment might be able to stop vascular dementia from worsening at speed.
The first step is to talk to a GP if you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one.
From there, the patient might be referred to a specialist to begin a diagnosis.
Source: Read Full Article