Apolipoprotein E ε4 Allele, Elevated Midlife Total Cholesterol Level, and High Midlife Systolic Blood Pressure Are Independent Risk Factors for Late-Life Alzheimer Disease

The association between the apoE epsilon4 allele and Alzheimer disease does not seem to be mediated by vascular factors. The apoE epsilon4 allele, elevated midlife total cholesterol level, and high midlife systolic blood pressure are independent risk factors for Alzheimer disease. The risk for Alzheimer disease from treatable factors--elevated total cholesterol level and blood pressure--appears to be greater than that from the apoE epsilon4 allele.