Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Hearing Impairment in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions in older adults. Overt and covert cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors may also be important contributors to worse hearing, although findings from different population-based studies on this link have been inconsistent. Overt CVD risk factors include obesity, and conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol. Carotid artery wall thickness on the other hand, is an indicator of covert CVD risk. This project will explore associations between overt and covert CVD risk and hearing loss. Its results will help identify preventable risk factors for hearing loss.