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Prevention With Joel Kahn, MD

Cardiology

Dr. Kahn is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine. He practices cardiology in Detroit, is a clinical professor of medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and specializes in vegan nutrition and heart disease reversal.

Statins Lower Dementia Risk in Most People

Dear readers,

One of the top concerns of my patients is whether the use of statin medication will raise the risk of dementia. A new analysis of the NHANES database again finds the opposite, protection, but some cases reported in another government database suggest it is possible, even if rare. Another report says it is possible to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by following the AHA Simple 7 (now the Essential 8, as sleep has been added). This week, there is more data about the impact of Lipoprotein(a) on aortic valve calcification and stenosis. Want to lose weight? Eat more plant-based foods like legumes and skip the meat.

Hearing loss is a risk factor for dementia, and the DASH diet is protective. An in-depth review of olive oil and heart health is quite compelling. A provocative study from Japan reports that stopping alcohol consumption increases cholesterol levels and cardiac risk. Finally, the nearly miraculous Fasting Mimicking Diet has now been shown to have another benefit: reducing inflammation in periodontal disease. There’s a lot to consider this week.

Be well,

Joel Kahn, MD, FACC

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    Reducing 7 risk factors for heart disease may help lower Alzheimer's biomarkers - 1 month(s) ago

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      • The American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 is a roadmap of seven modifiable risk factors for heart disease.
      • Cardiovascular disease is a known risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
      • A new study has found a link between higher Life’s Simple 7 scores for cardiovascular health in older adults and a potential decrease in biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases.
      • The researchers note that promoting better cardiovascular health could be particularly beneficial to Black and African American populations who have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease