The month of September is World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Typically affecting people over the age of 65, Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that causes the cells in the brain to die. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition that often starts with loss of memory, but can result in the inability to function normally on a day to day basis. This month Angeles Health will be looking at the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease, and what you can do to lower your risk of developing the condition.

Today, Alzheimer’s disease affects 5 million Americans, with this number expected to treble by 2030. The condition is not caused by one known factor. Like cancer and other chronic diseases that affect the Western World, Alzheimer’s is the result of a number of factors. There are, however, known risk factors that can make someone more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease:

Age is the biggest risk factor for all dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. The likelihood of a person to develop Alzheimer’s disease doubles every 5 years over the age of 65.
Genes also play a part in the development in Alzheimer’s, although research into just how much Alzheimer’s can be attributed to genetics is ongoing.
In some cases, for example where the disease appears relatively early in life, there are clear genetic links for the condition. However, in general, in cases where older people develop Alzheimer’s, the genetic link is minimal, with only a small increase in Alzheimer’s risk for people whose parent or relative over the age of 65 has developed the condition.
People with Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease because they have an extra copy of chromosome 21, which is involved in the production of the protein associated with the development of the condition.
Vascular disease is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that a range of lifestyle factors and conditions associated with vascular disease also increase Alzheimer’s risks:
o Smoking
o Diabetes
o High blood pressure
o Obesity
o High Cholesterol.
People who have suffered from a severe head injury have been shown to be at a greater risk of developing the condition.

About Angeles Health
Angeles Health is Mexico’s largest network of private hospitals. The network consists of 22 state of the art hospitals throughout America, which are home to specialist treatment programs, such as alternative cancer treatment, cardiovascular treatment, weight loss surgery and stem cell therapy, fertility treatment, orthopedic treatment and general surgery.

The Stem Cell Therapy Unit is based in Hospital Angeles Tijuana is a stem cell center of excellence. As well as contributing to the ever growing world of stem cell research and best practice within stem cell therapy programs, Stem Cell Therapy at Angeles Health offers treatment for a range of conditions, including neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.

Get more facts about Alzheimer’s disease at http://www.stemcellmexico.org/. Or, if you would like to know more about the range of treatments offered by Angeles Health to Mexican nationals and medical tourists alike, Contact us today.