The Risk Factors Associated with Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

 


Melissa Macias is a well-established Wisconsin physician who emphasizes minimally invasive neurosurgery techniques, including those involving the use of robotics. Knowledgeable about the full range of neurological maladies, Melissa Macias has experience in treating vascular disorders, which involve the arteries and veins that bring oxygen-rich blood from the brain to areas throughout the body.

A number of neurological diseases have vascular complications at their root, with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) most common among older people. Challenging to diagnose, the condition involves perforations in cerebral capillaries, arterioles, and venules. Related to cognitive decline, it is the cause of nearly half of all dementia cases and is associated with approximately one in five strokes worldwide.

A 2008 study published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke found that age, current smoking habits, and elevated blood pressure correlated positively to the progression of white matter lesions causing CSVD. Analyzing a population aged 60-90, the Rotterdam Scan Study also determined that women were at higher risk of the disease than men. One of the key risk factors influencing the development of CSVD is hypertension and it is there that preventative treatments are currently focused.