Alzheimer's patients who also have diabetes or a high blood pressure are likely to die earlier than people who do not have these disorders, it has been noted.
A recent study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, revealed that from the date that com/homes/Alzheimers_Care/index.html" target="_self">Alzheimer's was first diagnosed, individuals with the pre-existing condition of diabetes were twice as likely to die sooner than those who did not have it.
In addition, Alzheimer's patients who also had a high blood pressure were found to be 2.5 times more likely to die sooner than those with a normal blood pressure.
Study author Yaakov Stern, professor at the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's disease and the Aging Brain, said that the results were intriguing and warranted further research.
"Studies show that the average lifespan of a person diagnosed with Alzheimer's can be anywhere from three to nine years. For that person and their caregiver, every minute counts. Here we have two controllable factors that may drastically affect how long that person can survive," he added.
In related news, scientists from both the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease and the University of California have revealed that fatty acids are linked to Alzheimer's.
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