NEW YORK: Patients diagnosed with an irregular heart beat, known as atrial fibrillation, and treated in the long-term with Warfarin were found to be at greater risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
Atrial fibrillation is is the most common type of arrhythmia, which is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. Incidence rates of atrial fibrillation are growing dramatically as the population ages.
Dementia is a neurological disorder that impairs memory and other cognitive abilities, and it is now listed among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries.
Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of dementia because it exposes patients to both large and small clots that can affect brain function.
Blood thinners used to prevent all forms of clots and strokes can increase the risk of both large and small brain bleeds that can also negatively impact brain function over time…