Research: Individuals with diabetes, cognitive decline can be at higher heart disease risk

According to a new study, people with type 2 diabetes who have cognitive impairment could be at greater risk for stroke, heart attack or death than other individuals with diabetes. Cognitive impairment is when a person has trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating or making decisions that affect their everyday life.

Cognitive impairment ranges from mild to severe and has been associated with Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The researchers assessed the relationship between cognitive function and future cardiovascular events in 8,772 people with type 2 diabetes from the REWIND trial during more than five years of follow up.

They found that people with the lowest level of cognitive function had a higher risk of heart attack and stroke than those with higher levels of cognitive function. These findings suggest cognitive function could predict a person's future risk of heart disease.