Research and analysis

Dementia: comorbidities in patients

Analysis of primary care data relating to other health conditions that patients with dementia live with in England.

Documents

Dementia: comorbidities in patients - data briefing

Details

This briefing document analyses data recorded in a sample of primary care records of patients with dementia, in relation to their other health conditions (comorbidities).

It examines whether:

  • patients with dementia are more likely to have comorbidities
  • patients with dementia are more likely to have multiple comorbidities
  • different subtypes of dementias lead to different patterns of comorbidities

The comorbidities considered in this study are conditions that:

  • can increase the risk of dementia such as hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes
  • are associated with dementia such as stroke or transient ischaemic attack (stroke or TIA), depression, Parkinsonism, epilepsy, severe mental illness or psychosis (SMI)
  • are physical conditions not directly associated with dementia - such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

This briefing is for health commissioners, and providers of primary care and community services that support patients with dementia. The findings can inform a local assessment of the needs of patients with dementia, and the provision of health and care services.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact mhdnin@phe.gov.uk.

Published 1 November 2019