Heart Rhythm Disorder More Likely To Cause Dementia In Women Than Men: Pallavi Mehra 2023

Women with atrial fibrillation progress more rapidly to cognitive impairment and dementia than men with heart rhythm conditions, according to research. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 40 million people worldwide. Women have more atrial fibrillation symptoms than men and worse outcomes from the disorder, with a higher risk of death and more disabling strokes, said researchers presenting the study at the ongoing ACNAP 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). "Symptoms of atrial fibrillation in women are often ignored by healthcare providers or attributed to stress or anxiety so it can go undiagnosed for a long period of time, while men are more likely to be diagnosed and treated quickly," said study author Dr Kathryn Wood of Emory University, Atlanta, US.