Objective:

This study is sought to: 1) determine the clinical validity of Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score (FGCRS) for dementia assessment; 2) examine the associations between cardiovascular diseases and the risk of dementia.

Background:

Evidence supporting cardiovascular diseases could increase the risk of dementia remains fragmented. A comprehensive study to illuminate the distinctive associations across different dementia types is still lacking.

Design/Methods:

A total of 432079 dementia-free individuals at baseline from UK Biobank were included. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the prospective associations for FGCRS and a series of cardiovascular diseases with all-cause dementia (ACD) and its major component, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD).

Results:

During a median follow-up of 110.1 months, 4711 individuals were diagnosed with dementia. FGCRS was associated with increased risks across the dementia spectrum. In stratification analysis, high-risk groups have demonstrated the greatest dementia burdens, particularly to VaD. Over 74 traits, 9 adverse associations, such as chronic ischemic heart disease (ACD: HR=1.354; AD: HR=1.269; VaD: HR=1.768), atrioventricular block (ACD: HR=1.562; AD: HR=1.556; VaD: HR=2.069), heart failure (ACD: HR=1.639; AD: HR=1.543; VaD: HR=2.141), and hypotension (ACD: HR=2.912; AD: HR=2.361; VaD: HR=3.315) were observed. Several distinctions were also found, which atrial fibrillation, and cerebral infarction, and hemorrhage only associated with greater risks of ACD and VaD. 

Conclusions:

By identifying distinctive associations between cardiovascular diseases and dementia, this study has established a comprehensive “mapping” that may untangle the long-standing discrepancy. FGCRS has demonstrated its predictivity beyond cardiovascular diseases burdens, suggesting potential opportunities for implantation.