Page 26 - Pharma News Letter Vol1 Issue2 - Converted By Dr. Ahmed Rashed
P. 26
Chapter IV
Can Hearing Aids Reduce
the Risk of Dementia??
Dementia is predicted to affect 150 million The positive association of hearing aid use
people worldwide by 2050, making addressing was observed in all-cause dementia and cause-
preventable risk factors crucial for the specific dementia subtypes (Alzheimer’s
preventing of dementia. Hearing loss may be a disease, vascular dementia, and non-
potential modifiable risk factor for dementia. It Alzheimer’s disease non-vascular dementia).
has been noted that, hearing loss affects a large The data also suggest that the protection
proportion of the population, particularly older against dementia conferred by hearing aid
adults. While some studies have reported that use most likely stems from direct effects from
hearing aid use is associated with improved hearing aids rather than indirect mediators,
cognitive function and attenuated cognitive such as social isolation, loneliness, and low
decline, the effectiveness of hearing aid use on mood.
reducing the risk of dementia was unclear. The study concluded that, in people with
Therefore, researchers conducted a large hearing loss, hearing aid use is associated
observational population-based cohort study with a risk of dementia of a similar level to
which was published online on April 13 in that of people without hearing loss. With the
Lancet Public Health Journal that aimed postulation that up to 8% of dementia cases
to address some of these knowledge gaps could be prevented with proper hearing loss
by examining whether hearing aid use is management, with the urgent need to take
associated with a decreased risk of dementia measures to address hearing loss to improve
in people with hearing loss, including specific cognitive decline.
types of dementia, and whether other factors
such as loneliness, isolation, depressed mood,
socioeconomic status, smoking, morbidity References:
status, and APOE e4 allele status may mediate
or interact with this association. • Jiang F, Mishra SR, Shrestha N, et al.
Association between hearing aid use and all-
Investigators analyzed longitudinal data on cause and cause-specific dementia: an analysis
437,704 individuals from the UK Biobank of the UK Biobank cohort. Lancet Public
(54% female; mean age at baseline, 56 years). Health. 2023;8(5):e329-e338. doi:10.1016/
Roughly three quarters of the cohort had no S2468-2667(23)00048-8.
hearing loss and one quarter had some level
of hearing loss, with 12% of these individuals • Megan Brooks. Hearing Aids a ‘Powerful’
using hearing aids. Tool for Reducing Dementia Risk.
Available at: https://www.medscape.com/
After the researchers controlled for relevant viewarticle/991622#vp_2. Published May 5,
co-factors, compared with people without 2023. Accessed May 22, 2023.
hearing loss, those with hearing loss who were
not using hearing aids had an increased risk
for all-cause dementia (hazard ratio [HR],
1.42; 95% CI, 1.29-1.56). No increased risk
was seen in people with hearing loss who were
using hearing aids (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.98-
1.10).
26 Faculty of Pharmacy Newsletter
