Physical Activity and Better Medication Compliance Improve Mini-Mental State Examination Scores in the Elderly

In addition to hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and diabetes, a sedentary lifestyle plays a pivotal role in cerebro- and cardiovascular disease and progressive cognitive decline, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The present study investigated whether controlling...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders 2015-01, Vol.39 (1-2), p.25-31
Main Authors: Guimarães, Fabiana Costa, Amorim, Paulo Roberto dos Santos, dos Reis, Fernando Fonseca, Bonoto, Robson Teixeira, de Oliveira, Wederson Candido, Moura, Tiago Augusto da Silva, de Assis, Cláudia Loures, Palotás, András, Lima, Luciana Moreira
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aging
Analysis
Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use
Cross-Sectional Studies
Demographic aspects
Exercise - physiology
Female
Humans
Hypertension - drug therapy
Hypertension - physiopathology
Hypertension - therapy
Male
Medical examination
Medication Adherence - psychology
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Original Research Article
Patient compliance
Psychological aspects
Pulse
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Sedentary Lifestyle
Surveys and Questionnaires
Treatment Outcome
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In addition to hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and diabetes, a sedentary lifestyle plays a pivotal role in cerebro- and cardiovascular disease and progressive cognitive decline, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The present study investigated whether controlling the key risks and participating in physical activity have a beneficial impact on these disorders. Elderly volunteers were enrolled in a 3-month program that consisted of structured exercise three times per week. The daily routine, medical treatment, and vital parameters were evaluated and correlated with the subjects' neuropsychiatric status. High blood pressure was found in 40% of the participants, with no significant differences between the sexes. A higher proportion of females (55%) than males (18%) forgot to take their medication during the observation period. Significant negative correlations were found between Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and age, lack of a caregiver, and increased pulse rate before or after exercise. These results suggest that the presence of home assistance and subsequent improvement in medication compliance, vital parameter optimization, and regular physical activity may yield better MMSE results and a lower risk for cerebro- and cardiovascular disease. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
ISSN:1420-8008
1421-9824
DOI:10.1159/000366413