Treating These 9 Conditions May Help You Live Better With Alzheimer’s Disease
Published on August 6, 2026
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An early Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis often comes with many questions about what you can do to support your health and quality of life. While it’s important to follow your Alzheimer’s treatment plan, treatment for other health conditions can also play a role in helping you feel and function your best with the condition.
Many people who have Alzheimer's also have other chronic health concerns, like high blood pressure or diabetes. When these conditions aren’t well managed, they can add to the challenges of living with Alzheimer’s. Although treating them won’t change the course of Alzheimer’s disease, it may help you feel and function at your best.
“Paying attention to these health factors can improve your resilience — even though Alzheimer’s disease is there, it can mitigate its effects,” says Krishnankutty Sathian, MBBS, PhD, the chair of the department of neurology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
1. Cerebrovascular Disease
Cerebrovascular disease is a group of conditions that affect blood flow to the brain, like stroke or stenosis (narrowing of blood vessels). Disrupted blood flow to the brain can affect thinking abilities and daily functioning. When cerebrovascular disease occurs alongside Alzheimer’s disease, the combined effects of these brain changes can contribute to cognitive challenges.
2. Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy body dementia is a brain disorder that can cause changes in thinking, movement, behavior, and mood. It’s one of the most common forms of dementia, and it can sometimes be confused with Alzheimer’s or occur alongside it.
“We know that people with Alzheimer’s disease who also have Lewy body disease may progress faster,” says Dr. Sathian. “So if we’re able to identify it, we want to treat it. The problem is that there’s not really a good way to treat Lewy body disease at the present time.” Still, if you can recognize the signs of Lewy body dementia, your care team can keep track of your symptoms and find ways to manage them.
3. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a brain condition in which cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles (fluid-filled spaces), causing them to enlarge and potentially affect nearby tissue. NPH can cause symptoms that overlap with Alzheimer’s disease, including difficulties with thinking and reasoning — in fact, it’s often mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease.
“If you have normal pressure hydrocephalus, you might deteriorate faster, so we definitely want to look for that and try to treat that if it’s present,” says Sathian.
4. High Blood Pressure
Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) can damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the brain.
Research shows that, left unmanaged, high blood pressure may accelerate Alzheimer’s disease progression. While managing high blood pressure won’t stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, it can reduce its impact on the brain and your overall health.
5. Diabetes
If you have diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, blood sugar management is an important part of protecting your overall health. Diabetes can increase the risk of vascular complications, and episodes of very high or very low blood sugar may affect cognitive function. Keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range can reduce complications and support day-to-day functioning.
6. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Recurrent breathing disruptions caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can affect sleep quality, and quality sleep is essential for cognitive health.
If you experience symptoms of OSA, like loud snoring or gasping for air while you sleep, talk to your care team. Research shows that treating OSA may help improve sleep quality and help slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, though more studies are needed to determine the exact benefits.
7. Depression
Up to 40 percent of people living with Alzheimer’s or related dementias experience serious depression.
Some symptoms of depression overlap with changes seen in Alzheimer’s disease, like difficulty concentrating, trouble thinking, loss of interest in hobbies, and social withdrawal or isolation. That’s why it’s important to talk with your care team about any changes in mood, behavior, or interest in your usual activities. Depression is treatable, and treatment can improve your day-to-day function, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
8. Hearing Loss
When hearing becomes difficult, it can make it harder to follow conversations, participate in activities, and stay socially connected. Hearing loss can add to communication challenges that come with Alzheimer’s disease and make daily interactions more frustrating.
Addressing hearing loss is an important part of comprehensive Alzheimer’s care. A hearing test can help determine whether hearing aids or other strategies may improve communication and engagement.
9. Vision Problems
It’s normal for changes in your vision to crop up as you age. Issues like cataracts, glaucoma, or uncorrected vision loss can make it harder to navigate your surroundings, recognize objects, or complete daily tasks. When vision problems occur along with Alzheimer’s-related changes in thinking and memory, they can add to challenges with communication and daily functioning.
Comprehensive Alzheimer’s care should include regular eye exams to identify vision changes that may be treatable with options like updated prescriptions or surgical treatments, which can, in turn, support emotional well-being, social interaction, and brain health.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Alzheimer’s and Multiple Chronic Conditions. Alzheimer’s Association. April 2026.
- Cerebrovascular Disease. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. April 29, 2024.
- What Is Lewy Body Dementia? Alzheimers.gov. June 24, 2026.
- Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Alzheimer’s Association.
- About High Blood Pressure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 28, 2026.
- Wei X et al. Hypertension and Alzheimer's Disease: Pathological Interplay, Comorbidity Risks, and New Strategies for Synergistic Management. Clinical and Experimental Hypertension. December 5, 2025.
- 13. Older Adults: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025. Diabetes Care. January 2025.
- What Is Sleep Apnea? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. January 9, 2025.
- Oliver C et al. A Systematic Review on Adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease Dementia. Sleep Medicine Review. February 2024.
- Depression. Alzheimer’s Association .
- Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis). National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. February 2023.
- Dementia and Hearing Loss. American Academy of Audiology.
- Communication and Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Association.
- Taking Care of Your Senses: The Science Behind Sensory Loss and Dementia Risk. National Institute on Aging. January 10, 2023.
- Aging and Your Eyes. National Institute on Aging. July 28, 2021.
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Jason Paul Chua, MD, PhD
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Jason Chua, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Division of Movement Disorders at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He received his training at th...
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