Cardiovascular Disease in Older Greek Adults and Cognitive Performance

Running head: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 1
Cardiovascular Disease in Older Greek Adults and Cognitive Performance
Name
Institution

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2
Introduction
Literature Review
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been associated with old age and according to
World Health Organization, CVD were among the leading causes of non-
communicable diseases by 2012. As such, more than 17.5million deaths were from
CVD. In Greece, 38% of mortality rate have been attributed to CVD (Lim et al.,
2012). According to Zeki Al Hazzouri et al. (2014) that risk factors of CVD have also
been associated with functionality decline of cognition performance. Old people
suffer from disorders that arise from cognitive ability such as memory loss and
dementia. One of the factors that have contributed to the high prevalence of CVD
among old people is due to reluctance in mitigating single risk factors which
consequently lead to brutal conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and severe
cognitive decline (Gikas et al., 2016). Environmental, genetic and epigenetic factors
have been used hugely used in examining how healthy habits as well as lifestyle can
impact the functioning of brain as well as human behavior throughout their life.
Research Gap
Although extensive research have been conducted among older Greek adults
concerning CVD and they have been showing the increasing incidences of CVD with
age, morbidity and mortality among the older people have been underrepresented.
The current research have not been able to provide an evidence-based
recommendations with regard to diagnosis and treatment of these patients. There is
need to incorporate the affected and share decision making with them on how they
need to be taken care of so as to reduce prevalence of CVD.

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 3
Research Question
This research will be guided by the research question that what are the various
cardiovascular risks that are associated with old age?
Research Hypothesis
The research hypothesized that the old age have a direct relationship with the
development of cardiovascular diseases and decline in cognitive performance.
Proposed Methodology
Participants
For the purpose of this research, various articles will be considered that had conducted
vast research on CVD and cognitive functions. However, the research considered
articles that focused on older Greek adults and with this regard whose participants
were 120 elderly individuals who are 65 years and above. Eligibility criteria for the
participation will be over 65 years as stated earlier, both sexes and literate with
education four years and above. In addition to this, as Bastien et al. (2014) suggests,
the research will consider participants if they had one or more of the following
conditions; cardiac surgery, myocardinal infarction, However, individuals with the
following characteristics were excluded from the study; neurodegenerative or
psychiatric disease, those using psychoactive drugs and those with dementia. A
systematic review of the longitudinal of the study will be essential in ensuring that
there is enough data and information concerning CVD and cognitive performance.
Measures