MIAMI: Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of dementia, independent of clinical stroke, according to data from a prospective, population-based cohort study.
The association was strongest for younger participants who had the longest duration of afib. An analysis of the study of chronic disease in older age showed that, over a 20-year period, incident afib was more strongly associated with an increased risk of dementia in participants under age 67 than in those 67 years of age and older (hazard ratios 1.81 vs 1.12, P=0.02 for interaction).
“The long-term consequences of atrial fibrillation on the risk of dementia clearly highlight the need for early preventive intervention,” said…