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Heart-Vessel & Brain Link


Two Diseases, One Dangerous Loop: The Stroke-Dementia Connection
I came back to the hospital service recently after spending several months focused on outpatient neurology, and I was reminded immediately of something I had not thought about in a while: the sheer volume of stroke patients moving through our facility. Ischemic strokes mostly, hemorrhagic strokes occasionally, TIAs daily, young patients not infrequently, and octogenarians predictably — the stroke service is relentless in a way that focuses your clinical attention almost entir
Michael K. Lowe, MD
Jun 67 min read


The Heart-Brain Highway: Why Your Cardiologist and Your Neurologist Should Be Friends
I want to tell you about a patient I see more often than you might think. She comes in worried about her memory. She's been forgetting names. She walked into the kitchen last week and couldn't remember why. Her family is concerned. And when I sit across from her with her MoCA results and her chart, I notice something that never surprises me anymore: her blood pressure has been quietly elevated for years. Her last echocardiogram showed reduced ejection fraction. Nobody connect
Michael K. Lowe, MD
Mar 85 min read


The "Dementia Umbrella": Why the Label Matters More Than You Think
In my resident clinic, I often meet families who are confused when I don't immediately use the "A-word." They’ve noticed a loved one is struggling, and they’ve already jumped to the conclusion that it’s Alzheimer’s. When I explain that we are looking at something else—perhaps Vascular Dementia or Lewy Body Dementia—the reaction is often a mix of relief and confusion. "Isn't that just another name for Alzheimer's?" they ask. The answer is a firm no . Dementia is not a single
Michael K. Lowe, MD
Jan 184 min read


Diabetes medications for treating dementia ... did I hear that correctly?
In the field of neurology, we are often forced to manage expectations as much as we manage symptoms. For decades, the search for effective Alzheimer’s treatments has been marked by more setbacks than breakthroughs. However, a new area of study is gaining significant momentum in the research community, centered on a surprising class of medications: those originally designed to treat Type 2 Diabetes (DM2). While the headlines are full of "new hope," as a provider, it is my res
Michael K. Lowe, MD
Jan 44 min read
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