- Researchers investigated the effects of treating atrial fibrillation via catheter ablation and medication on dementia risk.
- They found that treatment via catheter ablation reduced dementia risk more than medication alone.
- Further studies are needed to confirm the link and understand what underlies it.
Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is a heart condition characterized by irregular beating in the upper chambers of the heart that reduces blood flow to the lower chambers. Afib can cause discomfort in patients and increase stroke risk by
In 2019, AFib was mentioned on
Studies
Understanding whether treating those with Afib reduces dementia risk could improve patient outcomes.
Recently, researchers compared how catheter-based and pharmaceutical treatments for Afib affect dementia risk.
They found that the catheter-based treatment for Afib was correlated with better cognitive ability than medication alone.
“I have seen several patients with longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation who have had cognitive impairment, reduced ability to swallow, and slower motor function even despite negative brain imaging studies. Based on this, I do not find [the results surprising],” Dr. Vicken Zeitjian, a cardiologist board-certified in echocardiography and nuclear cardiology, based in San Antonio, Texas, who was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today.
“These findings provide further evidence that atrial fibrillation management by catheter ablation is superior to medical management only,” he added.
The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75th Annual Meeting.
For the study, the…
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