Treatment Options for Vascular Dementia
VaD cannot be cured. The primary goal for VaD is to treat the underlying conditions that affect the blood flow to the brain. Treating these underlying conditions can help to reduce the risk factors for further damage to brain tissue.
Such treatments may include:
- Medications to manage blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, diabetes, and problems with blood clotting
- Lifestyle modifications, such as following a healthy diet, getting physical activity, quitting smoking, and quitting or decreasing alcohol consumption
- Procedures to improve blood flow to the brain, such as carotid endarterectomy, angioplasty, and/or stenting; the carotid arteries are located in the neck and provide blood flow from the heart to the brain
- Medications, such as cholinesterase inhibitors to treat the progression of dementia