VASCULAR DEMENTIA

Course overview

VASCULAR DEMENTIA IS AMONG THE MOST COMMON ETIOLOGIES OF MAJOR NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDER (MND), AFFECTING PRIMARILY OLDER ADULTS (>65), AND IT IS THE LEADING NONDEGENERATIVE CAUSE OF DEMENTIA. THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS, FIFTH EDITION (DSM-V) SUBSUMES ALL DEMENTING DISEASES UNDER THE SYNDROMIC TERM MND. MND REQUIRES AN ACQUIRED DECLINE IN ONE OR MORE COGNITIVE DOMAINS, EG, ATTENTION, MEMORY, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, LANGUAGE, OR VISUOSPATIAL ABILITY, AND A DECLINE IN FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE. A SIGNIFICANT PRACTICE GAP FOR CLINICIANS IN MANAGING VASCULAR DEMENTIA LIES IN THE ABSENCE OF APPROVED DISEASE-MODIFYING TREATMENTS, NECESSITATING A FOCUS ON EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLING VASCULAR RISK FACTORS. THE GAP INVOLVES A LACK OF WIDESPREAD AWARENESS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF VASCULAR DEMENTIA, SUCH AS ADDRESSING HYPERTENSION, BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS, LIPID PROFILES, DIET, BMI, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND SMOKING STATUS. ADDITIONALLY, CLINICIANS MUST NAVIGATE THE OFF-LABEL USE OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE INHIBITORS AND MEMANTINE AND INDIVIDUALIZE COGNITIVE REHABILITATION STRATEGIES. THIS ACTIVITY NARROWS THIS PRACTICE GAP BY IMPROVING CLINICIAN COMPETENCY WHEN IMPLEMENTING INTERDISCIPLINARY CARE, INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT DISCUSSIONS, AND PATIENT-CENTERED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGING VASCULAR DEMENTIA.