Drugs for heartbeat problem may cut dementia risk Skip to main content

Drugs for heartbeat problem may cut dementia risk

ECG A heart trace or ECG can show up the problem
Treating stroke survivors for a heartbeat problem called atrial fibrillation (AF) might prevent many patients from going on to develop dementia, UK experts believe.
Research into nearly 50,000 patients' records found that AF after a stroke more than doubles the risk of dementia.
Doctors say we should now investigate whether more vigorous treatment with drugs to control AF might delay or even prevent dementia.
The work appears in Neurology journal.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance and affects up to 500,000 people in the UK.
Although not usually life-threatening in itself, it does increase the risk of stroke.

“Start Quote

These results may help us identify potential treatments that could help delay or even prevent the onset of dementia”
End Quote Lead researcher Dr Phyo Kyaw
Blood-thinning drugs and medication to slow the irregular heartbeat are often prescribed to reduce stroke risk.
Now experts at the University of East Anglia in the UK believe tighter management of AF might also offer some protection against dementia.
They looked at research where people with and without AF were followed up to see how many went on to develop dementia.
By analysing 15 separate studies they found that stroke survivors with AF were 2.4 times more likely to develop dementia than stroke survivors who did not have the heart condition.
About a quarter of patients with stroke and atrial fibrillation were found to have developed dementia during follow-up.
Lead researcher Dr Phyo Kyaw said: "These results may help us identify potential treatments that could help delay or even prevent the onset of dementia.
"Options could include more rigorous management of cardiovascular risk factors or of AF, particularly in stroke patients."
Rebecca Wood of Alzheimer's Research UK said: "While this paper shows there is a link between atrial fibrillation and dementia, we don't yet know if treating atrial fibrillation will prevent or delay the onset of dementia.
"More research will give us the answers we urgently need."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12664283
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera

The Life Story of A Distinguished And Outstanding Bhikkhu The Most Venerable Saradawpharagree Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera The Buddhist missionary Saradaw Ashin U Chandramani was endowed with great gifts and led a famous and long life. He was a very well known, distinguished and outstanding Bhikkhu Mahathera. While living in the Kushinagar Monastery, a place close to where the Lord Buddha had passed away to Nirvana, the Government of India had offered, and he had accepted, the highest, most honourable and respected title "Guru Guru MahaGuru". He became the first ever President of all Buddhists in India.A World Buddhist Conference took place in Kathmandu during the reign of King Mahindra of Nepal. The Conference was very well attended by over one hundred thousand Buddhists from various parts of the world and it was opened by King Mahindra himself. As requested by the King, Saradawpharagree blessed all the participants with the power of Triple Gems...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do...
1 comment
Read more

Three Dead, Seven Injured by Artillery Shells in Two Incidents in Myanmar’s Mrauk-U

By MIN AUNG KHINE 2 December 2019 Sittwe, Rakhine State –Three Mrauk-U township residents died and four others were injured when an artillery shell struck their community in the Ale Zay quarter of Mrauk-U town on Monday afternoon after 4 p.m. A month-old girl, a 4-year-old boy and a 30-year-old woman died, according to Dr. Khin Maung Yin, the head of Mrauk-U hospital. He said, “A man and three other women were injured. One of the women sustained severe injures to her left leg and her right knee was dislocated. The injured will be operated on.” Details of what occurred were not yet known. A few hours earlier, three civilians were injured when an artillery shell fell on the village of Na Leik in Mrauk-U Township, Rakhine State, western Myanmar, on Monday at around 1 p.m., according to Yan Aung Pyin village-tract administrator U Sein Hla Aung. Two females, aged 13 and 27, and an 18-year-old male were injured in the incident, he said. Three people were hit by shrapnel and we have...
Post a Comment
Read more