Breakthrough Study Links Heart Disorder and Alzheimer's

Breakthrough Study Links Heart Disorder and Alzheimer's

Researchers believe that they have made a breakthrough connection between atrial fibrillation (AF), a fairly common heart rhythm disorder, and Alzheimer's, the leading form of dementia among Americans.

AF is a disorder found in about 2.2 million Americans. During atrial fibrillation, the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively.

The study of more than 37,000 patients drew upon information from the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study, and the results showed a strong relationship between AF and the development of Alzheimer's.

The study found:

Patients with AF were 44 percent more likely to develop dementia than patients without the heart disorder.
Younger patients with AF were at higher risk of developing all types of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's. AF patients under age 70 were 130 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's.
Patients who have both AF and dementia were 61 percent more likely to die during the study period than dementia patients without the rhythm problem.
Younger AF patients with dementia may be at higher risk of death than older AF patients with dementia.

"Previous studies have shown that patients with AF are at higher risk for some types of dementia, including vascular dementia. But to our knowledge, this is the first large-population study to clearly show that having AF puts patients at greater risk for developing Alzheimer's," said T. Jared Bunch, M.D., the study's lead researcher.

Alzheimer's is a devastating brain disease affecting approximately 5.3 million Americans. It is the most common form of dementia (a general term for life-altering loss of memory and other cognitive abilities), and accounts for 60-80 percent of all dementia cases. Today, Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Currently, the known risk factors for Alzheimer's are age, family history and genetics, though injury may also be linked with the disease. Heart health has long been suspected to play a role, but has not been linked. This study bolsters that connection.

"The study shows a connection between AF and all types of dementia," said Bunch. "The Alzheimer's findings, particularly the risk of death for younger patients, break new ground."

AF is the most common heart rhythm problem, affecting about 2.2 million Americans. It occurs when the heart beats chaotically, leading blood to pool and possibly clot. If the clot leaves the heart, a stroke can result.

The study looked at five years of data for 37,025 patients. Of that group, 10,161 developed AF and 1,535 developed dementia during the study period.

The study authors say more research is needed to explore further the relationship between AF and the development of Alzheimer's.

"Now that we've established this link, our focus will be to see if early treatment of AF can prevent dementia or the development of Alzheimer's," says cardiologist John Day, co-author of the study.
References:
1. Jared Bunch, et al. Intermountain Medical Center.
2. American Heart Association.
3. Image by Wapcaplet.

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