Women with atrial fibrillation proven to have sooner cognitive decline than males

Cognitive decline progresses round twice as quick in ladies than in males with atrial fibrillation, in accordance with the brand new examine.

Lead writer Dr Kathryn Wood, of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, mentioned: “Symptoms in ladies are sometimes ignored by healthcare suppliers or attributed to emphasize or nervousness so it could possibly go undiagnosed for a protracted time frame, whereas males usually tend to be recognized and handled rapidly.

“Being undiagnosed means not receiving oral anticoagulant medication to prevent blood clots and strokes caused by atrial fibrillation.”

Her team analysed data on 43,630 adults in the US enrolled in a dementia study and tracked them for an average of four years.

Participants were required to have at least three annual clinic visits during which they took neuropsychological tests.

They were categorised as having normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or full blown dementia.

Dr Wood said: “These women may be having clots that go to small blood vessels in their brain, causing them to lose brain function gradually and develop cognitive impairment.

“ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Guidelines for the care of patients with atrial fibrillation recommend oral anticoagulants for both women and men.

“However, we know that women are less likely to receive these medications than men.

“This is another reason why women may have small silent strokes that go unrecognised and damage brain tissue leading to cognitive impairment.”

Women with atrial fibrillation have been thrice extra more likely to have MCI and dementia. The odds ratios in males have been simply over half that.

They additionally had a 21 p.c greater danger of progressing to a worse stage of cognitive impairment in comparison with friends with wholesome hearts.

Those with the situation have been over two and a half instances extra more likely to transition from MCI to a kind often called vascular dementia.

They have been additionally 17 p.c extra more likely to go from regular cognition to MCI. The associations between atrial fibrillation and extra speedy cognitive decline weren’t statistically vital in males.

Dr Wood added: “The analyses point out stronger associations between atrial fibrillation and declining cognitive perform in ladies in contrast with males.

“Establishing ways to identify atrial fibrillation patients at the highest risk of cognitive decline and stroke will inform future interventions to prevent or slow the progression to cognitive impairment and dementia.”

Atrial fibrillation impacts round 1,000,000 Britons and greater than 46 million globally. It happens when the center’s two higher chambers exit of sync, inflicting an irregular coronary heart rhythm.

This, in flip, impacts how properly blood flows to the decrease chambers of the center, known as the ventricles.

It will also be mounted by a easy process known as catheter ablation. It makes use of radiofrequency to burn small areas of tissue inflicting defective nerve messages.

A effective tube is inserted right into a vein within the leg and threaded via vessels into the organ. Former prime minister Tony Blair underwent the op virtually 20 years in the past.

But as much as one affected person in ten can endure issues together with a stroke, perforation of the center muscle or dangerously low blood stress.

Not all reply, even after a number of makes an attempt and a few are unable to have the operation resulting from frailty or resulting from earlier operations on the center.

The findings have been introduced at an European Society of Cardiology assembly in Edinburgh.