Dementia – the leading cause of death for women

walrus — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 05:36:08 +0000

You might be surprised to learn that dementia, including Alzheimer’s, is the leading cause of death for women in Australia, accounting for 13% of all female deaths compared to 6.3% of males.

In this month’s blog, we take a closer look at dementia, including the risks, symptoms and ways to help prevent against the disease.

What is dementia?

As defined by the World Health Organization, dementia is the term for several diseases that affect a person’s memory, thinking and ability to perform daily tasks.

As well as memory and thinking, it can also affect a person’s behaviour, their ability to communicate, and their judgement.

The illness gets worse over time and is most likely to affect people aged 65 years and over, although it can affect people of any age.

As noted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report on Deaths in Australia, women are disproportionately affected by dementia (including Alzheimer’s) and it is the leading cause of death for women, accounting for 13% of all female deaths compared to 6.3% of males.

Across Australia, there are over 400,000 people estimated to be living with dementia, including 1 in 12 people aged over 65. These rates are only set to get worse and are expected to double by 2058.

What are the symptoms?

Dementia can affect different people in different ways and early symptoms may be difficult to detect.

However, the most common early signs and symptoms to look out for include:

Memory loss
Changes in the ability to plan and problem solve
Difficulty in doing everyday tasks
Changes to mood and behaviour
A lack of interest in things or activities that would normally be enjoyed
Showing poor judgement or a lack of insight
Problems with speaking and writing
Confusion about time and place

Most symptoms will become worse over time and those with dementia will generally need assistance with their personal care, as the disease progresses.

This video from Dementia Australia provides a good overview of what living with dementia can be like>>

Why is it more prevalent in females?

We know that dementia affects twice as many women as men worldwide, by why is that?

The main explanation is to do with age. Living to an old age is one of the leading risk factors for dementia and women tend to live longer than men, therefore making them more susceptible to developing the disease over time.

As noted by Alzheimer’s Society, it is also thought that hormones – particularly oestrogen – may have an impact on the rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s in women. Oestrogen is the main female sex hormone and is believed to play a role in protecting the brain from the damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

Research has shown that oestrogen helps to increase the number of connections in the memory centre of the brain.

When women go through menopause, their levels of oestrogen fall significantly. Dementia is more common in women after menopause and it is thought that this drop in oestrogen may make women more prone to the learning and memory problems associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Another potential factor is the tau protein, which helps to stabilise the internal skeleton of nerve cells in the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, there is an abnormal build-up of tau that causes this internal skeleton to fall apart. Research from 2019 found that the levels of tau in the areas of the brain involved in memory was higher in older women than men, even for those with normal cognition, thus presenting a possible higher risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

While there are a number of possible explanations as to why more women than men are diagnosed with the disease, there is still a lot of research to be done to gain a better, more conclusive understanding as to why.

Other risk factors

Aside from age and being female, other risk factors for developing dementia include:

A family history of the disease
Having a poor diet
Being overweight or obese
Being physically inactive
Being a smoker
Drinking too much alcohol
Being socially isolated
Having depression
Other underlying diseases that can cause damage to the brain

Prevention

While there is no cure for dementia, there are a few ways to help reduce your risk of developing the disease, including:

Staying physically active and exercising regularly
Eating a healthy, well-balanced and nutritious diet
Limiting your alcohol consumption
Avoiding smoking
Staying connected with others and maintaining an active social life
Keeping yourself mentally stimulated

For those diagnosed with dementia, some medications can help to reduce the symptoms and improve your quality of life. Speak to your GP about your options and the best way to manage the disease.

If you have any concerns about your risk of dementia or notice any signs and symptoms of the disease in yourself or a loved one, please make an appointment with a GP to discuss. Appointments at Illawarra Medical Centre can be made online or by phoning (08) 9208 6400.

Where can I find out more information?

For more information, visit:

Alzheimer’s Society, UK – https://www.alzheimers.org.uk
Alzheimer’s WA – https://www.alzheimerswa.org.au
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care – https://www.health.gov.au/topics/dementia?language=en
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths-in-australia/contents/leading-causes-of-death
Dementia Australia – https://www.dementia.org.au
Health Direct – https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dementia-overview
World Health Organization – https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia

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