Status of treatment of vascular dementia.

The therapeutic goal in treating vascular dementia has been based on its presumed association with cerebral arteriosclerosis. Therefore, it is necessary to control risk factors for arteriosclerosis. In this connection, application of platelet-aggregating substances has been used extensively. Promising results have also been observed by altering the hemorheologic profile because hemorheologically active substances may be able to ameliorate the course of vascular dementia. Further improvement could be achieved by application of the HELP system to enhance the effect of hemorheologically active drugs. Using the HELP system, LDL, cholesterol, triglycerides and fibrinogen can be lowered considerably and may result in clinical improvement or slowing of the progression of vascular dementia.