5.7 million is the estimated number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s in 2018, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The burden of Alzheimer’s disease is growing in the United States and in many other nations due to “successful aging” or reduced mortality from other major causes of death such as heart disease.
From 2000 to 2015 mortality for heart disease dropped by 11 percent while Alzheimer’s related deaths increased 123%.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the physical changes in the brain that may lead to Alzheimer’s disease begin during midlife and that it takes decades for the damage to become extensive enough to show symptoms. This gap in time presents an important window of opportunity for treatment and prevention strategies.
Research shows that elevated midlife lipid levels are associated with cognitive decline 20 years later
Nearly 40% of early onset dementia can be attributed to alcohol use disorders, and people with alcohol use disorders have more than three times the risk of dementia than those without, according to a recent study. (for more facts on Alzheimer’s disease, go to www.alz.org/facts)
