acute severe dementia

can someone who is 90 yrs. old, drank quite heavily until age 60 and  has a mild heart attack  wind up with severe dementia a week later?  She did show signs of forgetfulness and was becoming a major "pack-rat" for the last 10 years, which I just thought was due to her advanced age.

[HFHS MD-JM]

Jheri,

     Dementia can vary in its onset.  Alzheimers disease is generally a slow progression over months to years.  Vascular dementia (ie stroke) can manifest itself immediately.  It is also not uncommon that different types of dementias coexist.  Age, substance use and vascular disease are the risk factors for dementia in the person you are describing.  I hope this was helpful.  Please search this forums archives using dementia as a keyword.

Sincerely,

HFHS MD-JM