The study -- the largest ever on the link between anticoagulants and dementia in atrial fibrillation patients -- looked at data from Swedish health registries covering the period 2006-2014. "It is not possible to give placebo to atrial fibrillation patients and then wait for dementia or stroke to occur." When they first joined the study, 54 percent of patients were not taking oral anticoagulants such as warfarin or apixaban. "In the first year, approximately 15 percent stop taking the drugs, then approximately 10 percent each year." The study found no difference in dementia prevention between the older blood-thinning drug warfarin and the newer oral anticoagulants.

Source: The Nation Bangkok October 24, 2017 23:26 UTC