Warfarin for Atrial Fibrillation Linked to Heightened Dementia Risk

Long-term warfarin treatment is associated with higher rates of dementia and Alzheimer disease among individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF), but not those without AF, according to a recent study.

AF and blood thinner use have been linked to increased risk of impaired cognitive function, but the effect of a combination of both factors is less well understood.
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For their study, the researchers followed 10,537 patients with no history of dementia who were treated with warfarin for AF or for other conditions, including valvular heart disease and thromboembolism.1

After a follow-up of roughly 7 years, researchers found that rates of all types of dementia were higher in those individuals taking warfarin who had AF than in those who did not have AF (5.8% vs 1.6%).

While both groups showed increased risk of dementia when warfarin levels were too high or too low, researchers observed that regardless of warfarin levels, patients with AF consistently experienced higher rates of dementia than those without AF.

“[A]s physicians, we have to understand that although we need to use anticoagulants for many reasons, including to prevent stroke in AF patients, at that same time there are risks that need to be considered, some of which we are only right now beginning to understand," concluded lead author T. Jared Bunch, MD.2 "In this regard, only those that absolutely need blood thinners should be placed on them long-term.”

—Michael Potts

References:

  1. Jacobs V, Bunch TJ, May HT, et al. Atrial fibrillation patients treated with long-term warfarin anticoagulation have higher rates of all dementia types compared to patients receiving warfarin long-term for other indications. Presented at Heart Rhythm 2016; May 5, 2016; San Francisco, California.
  2. Intermountain Medical Center. New study finds atrial fibrillation patients treated with warfarin have higher rates of dementia [press release]. May 5, 2016. http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/652707/?sc=dwhr&xy=10005670.