Experts discover common leg problem suffered by millions can raise dementia risk by 25 per cent
Millions of people with varicose veins could have a significantly higher risk of memory robbing dementia, a Korean study has suggested.
Experts, who analysed data from almost half a million people, found those with the bulging, twisted veins were 23.5 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia
The elevated risk held true after the scientists accounted for factors like age, sex, weight, smoking status and alcohol consumption—all known risk factors for the condition.
Men, current smokers and heavy drinkers with varicose veins were at especially high risk of developing dementia.
Writing in the journal PLOS One, the authors said the exact reasons why varicose veins might be related to dementia needed further study.
However, they suggested the link could lie with the fact the unsightly condition can indicate poor blood flow around the body, which is a known risk factor for dementia.
Another theory is that varicose veins may be contributing to broad inflammation in the body, helping drive or exacerbate processes that cause brain damage.
The study also found that patients who had their veins treated were 43 per cent less likely than those who didn’t undergo treatment to suffer from vascular dementia—the type specifically caused by a series of mini strokes that limit blood flow to the brain.
Millions of people with varicose veins could have a significantly higher risk of memory robbing dementia, a Korean study suggests. Stock image
The researchers analysed health data from 396,767 men and women in Korea with an average age of 56, of which about 5,000 had varicose veins.
Participants’ health records were tracked for an average of 13 years. By the end of this period, 14 per cent had been diagnosed with dementia.
While a large study the authors noted their research had several limitations.
Firstly, it was observational, meaning that while the data suggested a link between varicose veins and dementia it cannot prove one condition causes the other.
Secondly, the data the scientists used only recorded the presence of varicose veins among patients, not the severity of the condition.
The authors suggested assessing if patients with worse veins have a greater risk of dementia is an area in need of further study.
Dementia is a memory-robbing condition plaguing nearly 1million Brits and 7million Americans
Additionally, experts were unable to account for genetic predisposition to the condition, which may have influenced the results.
Finally, they noted their study involved a group of Korean patients and therefore might have limited application to other populations.
An estimated one in four men and one in three women in the UK are thought to have varicose veins.
In the US, approximately 11million men and 22million women are living with the condition.
Varicose veins are widened blood vessels that look swollen and twisted close to the surface of the skin and in some cases may bulge out in lumps.
They can cause pain, skin problems and swollen limbs and extremities.
While most common on the legs they can also occur in other areas of the body.
Risk factors for varicose veins include sitting or standing for long periods, as well as smoking and being overweight.
Around 900,000 Brits are currently thought to have the memory-robbing disorder. But University College London scientists estimate this will rise to 1.7million within two decades as people live longer. It marks a 40 per cent uptick on the previous forecast in 2017
While the odds of getting varicose veins broadly increase with age, some groups, like pregnant women, are at increased risk.
Approximately two in every five expectant mothers—just under half—will get varicose veins during their pregnancy.
While not considered a serious medical problem those who are experiencing significant pain or complications can be offered treatment.
This can include minor procedures to either remove the veins or restrict blood flow, or compression stockings. Dementia affects an estimated one million people in the UK.
Recent analysis by the Alzheimer’s Society estimated the overall annual cost of the dementia to the UK is £42billion a year, with families bearing the brunt.
An ageing population means these costs—which include lost earnings of unpaid carers—are set to soar to £90billion in the next 15 years.
A separate Alzheimer’s Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country’s biggest killer.
