A study published in JACC: Asia suggests that the use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) is associated with a lower risk of dementia compared to the traditional blood thinner, warfarin.
This effect is particularly notable in Asian patients but appears to decline with increased age.
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other complications. Patients with AFib are typically treated with anticoagulants to minimize the risk of stroke.
Warfarin, a commonly used anticoagulant, disrupts the blood’s ability to clot but also increases the risk of bleeding.
In contrast, DOACs provide similar anticoagulant benefits but are generally considered safer in terms of bleeding risk.
Key Findings
The researchers conducted a review of 10 studies involving more than 342,000 patients.
They found that the use of DOACs was linked to a lower risk of dementia in nine of the studies, especially among Asian patients. The benefits of DOACs over warfarin appeared less significant in patients over 75 years old.
Possible Explanations
“Asian patients are more sensitive to vitamin K antagonism, which makes them more prone to bleeding events, thereby contributing to dementia,” said Vern Hsen Tan, MBBS, the study’s senior author.
Asians also generally have lower body weight, potentially making DOACs more effective at standard doses.
Moreover, patients taking warfarin need to limit their vitamin K intake, which is essential for cognitive health. This dietary restriction could be another reason why DOACs are associated with lower dementia risk.
The study is not without limitations, such as its non-randomized nature and reliance on hospital admission data.
The researchers recommend further studies to explore the relationship between age and the potential cognitive benefits of DOACs.
Conclusion
The study highlights the potential cognitive benefits of DOACs over warfarin, particularly for Asian patients with atrial fibrillation. However, these benefits may diminish with age, indicating the need for further research.
Overall, the findings could influence future treatment guidelines and provide a new angle for dementia prevention strategies.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a surprising link between vitamin B and dementia and findings of Scientists confirm world’s first case of dementia linked to repetitive brain trauma in a female athlete.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about this tooth disease linked to dementia, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The research findings can be found in JACC: Asia.
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