Tamara Thomas

Urban Health Today

Women with atrial fibrillation (AFib) have a higher risk of developing dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than men, according to a study published in the <a href="https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.13060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of the Alzheimer&rsquo;s Association</a>.Previous studies have found that AFib is linked with a higher risk for mental decline and dementia. Dr. Kathryn Wood and colleagues conducted a study to see if gender played a role in cognitive disease in people with AFib.The researchers collected data on 43,630 people in the National Alzheimer&rsquo;s Coordinating Center database. Of the participants, nearly 4600 had AFib. Over a median follow-up of 4 years, 30% of the participants progressed to the worst stage of cognitive impairment, and 21% developed dementia.The researchers observed that women with AFib were 3 times more likely to have dementia and mild mental impairment than women without AFib. However, for men, the link between AFib and dementia was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the researchers found that women with AFib were more likely to have normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment and mild impairment to dementia.&ldquo;Women tend to be diagnosed later with a-fib than men, so they already have additional risk factors for cognitive decline, such as [high blood pressure], heart valve disease or heart failure,&rdquo; Dr. Wood said.Dr. Wood also noted that women have a higher risk of stroke and death once AFib is diagnosed. According to the researchers, when strokes occur, women have double the risk of severe, disabling, or fatal stroke compared to men.In addition, the researchers observed that women with AFib are less often prescribed blood thinners to prevent stroke than men, even though blood thinners help prevent stroke, which is key to treating AFib.&ldquo;Women with a-fib, however, are significantly less likely to receive blood thinners than men, adding to their risk for the silent mini-strokes that may lead to gradual cognitive decline,&rdquo; Dr. Wood said. &ldquo;Because some studies have shown that patients with a-fib who are on blood thinners develop cognitive disease less frequently, patients with a-fib should discuss use of blood thinners with their doctor,&rdquo; she added.Source: <a href="https://consumer.healthday.com/atrial-fibrillation-2661656063.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HealthDay</a>

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