The impact of oral anticoagulant use on the incidence of dementia in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation

Findings have been variable when attempting to determine whether the use of oral anticoagulants (OACs) is positively associated with the incidence of dementia in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).
A cohort of 142,227 patients with NVAF demonstrated a decrease in the risk of dementia (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84–0.92) when receiving OACs, compared with patients not receiving OACs (results were particularly applicable for patients aged ≥75 years [HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.80–0.89]).
Authors concluded that OAC use in patients with NVAF was associated with a reduced risk of dementia, especially in the elderly.