Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia. Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, in recent years it came apparent that cardiovascular risk factors often associate with cognitive impairment that over time transitions to dementia. The magnitude of cardiovascular disease worldwide increasingly calls for investigations of cognitive trajectories amongst patient populations.

As the leading cause of disease burden in the world, hypertension is the major single contributor to all-cause disability and considered one of the major modifiable risk factors for the development of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. Although changes in blood pressure have been directly linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline, a lack of mechanistic understanding has so far hindered the development of successful treatment strategies. 

A substantial correlation exists between chronic hypercholesterolemia that manifests in middle age and the subsequent emergence of dementia. The utilization of statins for the purpose of maintaining lipid homeostasis in order to prevent or treat dementia has been the subject of considerable debate since case studies prompted concerns regarding the potential role of statins in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment. The current lack of comprehensive understanding of the precise mechanisms of action precludes the development of efficacious strategies for the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline attributable to cardiovascular risk factors.