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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)
Medical validation:
March 13, 2023
According to a new study, people with atrial fibrillation are at greater risk of developing dementia. The point of view of Dr. Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo, on the subject.
Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent arrhythmia, with a prevalence of approximately 1% in the general population, reaching more than 10% after 80 years. Although it is generally mild, it could also have an impact on cerebral blood flow, according to researchers.
+ 13% risk of dementia
According to the study, published in the Journal of The American Heart Associationyoung individuals with atrial fibrillation have a significantly higher risk of dementia than older people.
Indeed, this disorder would be associated with an increased risk of stroke, itself linked to the occurrence of cognitive disorders.
To verify this theory, the researchers followed nearly 200,000 adults in California for three and a half years. About half of them were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
The researchers then measured the incidence of dementia among the participants.
Result ? The incidence rate of dementia in people with atrial fibrillation was 2.79 and in people without the disorder 2.04.
After adjusting these results, the scientists found that atrial fibrillation was associated with a much higher risk of dementia (+13%).
Young people also seemed particularly affected: adults under 65 with this disorder had a 65% higher risk of dementia than older candidates.
For the researchers, there is no doubt: atrial fibrillation seems to be “un clinically important risk factor for dementia in young people“.
“We must screen for fibrillation to avoid these lesions”
Faced with these disturbing conclusions, Dr. Kierzek recalls the importance of screening.
“Any ischemic stroke or microstroke can lead to vascular dementia. However, fibrillation is silent: it causes very few symptoms. It is therefore necessary to detect this disorder to avoid these lesions.“, assures the emergency doctor, before adding”To do this, several options are possible: consult your doctor directly or take your pulse alone to check if it is regular. If this is found to be irregular, an electrocardiogram should be performed“.
The medical director of Doctissimo recalls in this regard that no “self-diagnosis should only be performed“and that atrial fibrillation remains, in the vast majority of cases, “no big deal either“.