Pham, A.

Epidemiology and risk factors for incidence of dementia in primary care
Pham, A.NQ., Voaklander, D., Wagg, A., Drummond, N.

Dementia is a chronic mental impairment with no cure. Evidence shows possible association between cardiovascular risk factors and dementia onset but current findings are not consistent. This study uses data routinely collected in Canada primary care system to describe epidemiology of dementia managed in primary care and to identify risk and protective factors for the disease onset. This is to suggest a strategy to prevent or delay dementia within primary care practice.

Retrospective cohort study using collected data from electronic medical records. This study uses data from the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN). Participants include people aged 65 and older with no dementia diagnosis at baseline and with at least 5 years of data, follow-up time period starts in 2009 and ends in 2017 with a run-in year of 2008 to exclude existing dementia cases.

Age, urban postal codes, and history of depression associate with an increase in risk for incidence of dementia for people older than 64; there is association with deprivation score, history of smoking, osteoarthritis and diabetes mellitus in people aged 65 to 79 but not in those aged 80 and older; whereas sex, hypertension and dyslipidemia does not significantly predict dementia onset. Obesity and overweight reduce the risk by 17% in 65 to 79-year-old group and 22% in 80 and over. The use of antihypertensive and statin do not associate with the risk.

Management of chronic diseases and cardiovascular risk factors in primary care may decrease the risk of dementia developing in older adults. Future studies with more complete data may provide evidence for a dementia preventive strategy within primary care practice.