The dementia risk factor everyone should know…

Individuals with a specific type of condition may encounter a more rapid deterioration in their cognitive and memory abilities, which could result in a higher probability of developing dementia in comparison to those without the disorder.

According to a study published in the online edition of Neurology®, individuals diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a particular type of irregular heartbeat, may experience a swifter decline in their cognitive and memory abilities and have a higher likelihood of developing dementia than those without the condition.

Atrial fibrillation, which is a type of arrhythmia, occurs when the heart’s normal rhythm becomes irregular, leading to the accumulation of blood in the heart, potentially resulting in the formation of clots that can travel to the brain and causing a stroke.

The study also brings positive news that individuals with atrial fibrillation who take anticoagulants, or blood thinners, to prevent blood clots, may be less susceptible to developing dementia than those who do not take blood thinners.

According to the study’s lead author, Chengxuan Qiu, PhD, from the Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University in Sweden, compromised blood flow due to atrial fibrillation may impact the brain in various ways.

As people age, the likelihood of developing both atrial fibrillation and dementia increases.

The findings “showed a clear link between the two and found that taking blood thinners may actually decrease the risk of dementia.”

In the study, the researchers analyzed data on 2,685 individuals with an average age of 73, who were monitored for an average of six years as part of a larger study. The participants underwent a medical examination and interview at the beginning of the study and then again after six years for those younger than 78, and once every three years for those 78 and older. All participants were free of dementia at the outset of the study, but 9 percent (243 people) had atrial fibrillation.

The researchers obtained lifestyle and medical information on the participants at the start of the study and during each follow-up visit via face-to-face interviews and medical examinations. The participants were screened for atrial fibrillation, their overall cognitive and memory abilities, and the onset of dementia.

During the study, an additional 279 people, or 11%, got atrial fibrillation, and an additional 399 people, or 15%, got dementia.

The study’s findings revealed that individuals with atrial fibrillation experienced a more rapid decline in their cognitive and memory abilities than those without the condition, and were 40 percent more likely to get dementia. Of the 2,163 participants without irregular heartbeats, 278 developed dementia, which equates to 10 percent. Conversely, 23 percent of the 522 people with irregular heartbeats, or 121 individuals, developed dementia.

Moreover, the researchers discovered that individuals with atrial fibrillation who took blood thinners had a 60 percent lower risk of developing dementia. Out of the 342 individuals who did not take blood thinners for the condition, 76 developed dementia, or 22 percent. Out of the 128 people taking blood thinners, only 14 developed dementia, or 11 percent. No decreased risk was observed among individuals who took antiplatelet medications such as aspirin.

According to Qiu, if it is assumed that a causal relationship exists between blood thinners and the decreased risk of dementia, approximately 54 percent of the dementia cases could have been hypothetically averted if all individuals with atrial fibrillation had been taking blood thinners. Therefore, additional measures should be taken to encourage older individuals with atrial fibrillation to use blood thinners more frequently.

The study had certain limitations, such as the inability of the researchers to differentiate between subtypes of atrial fibrillation like persistent or permanent. Additionally, it is possible that some instances of atrial fibrillation could have gone undetected among individuals who did not present with any symptoms.

Funding for the study was provided by the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and the Swedish Research Council.

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