The Effect of Controlling the Cardiovascular Risk Factors on the Cognitive Decline Prevention in the Elderly: A Systematic Review

With the increasing proportion of the elderly population, neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia are becoming more prevalent worldwide. Vascular risk factors are considered significant targets for cognitive decline prevention. We reviewed the effect of cardiovascular risk factors on cognitive decline prevention in the elderly to evaluate the quantity and quality of evidence in managing the elderly population with cognitive decline. Data analysis was available from 25 studies that explored the effects of controlling cardiovascular risk factors on the risk of cognitive impairment. These risk factors include diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and exercise and physical activity. The most positive evidence was found for exercise and physical activity. On the other hand, diabetes mellitus and cholesterol modifications showed no positive impact on cognitive function. Studies on hypertension control were incongruous. There is a need for large-sample, robust randomized clinical trials to provide sufficient evidence for the modification of various cardiovascular risk factors in preventing cognitive decline.