Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
Update: A-Fib and Dementia & My Top 5 Articles
This article was first published on Apr 26, 2017. Last updated: August 26, 2020
There’s a growing body of evidence linking atrial fibrillation with early onset of dementia. New cases of dementia are diagnosed every four seconds. The number of people with dementia is also expected to triple worldwide to an estimated 140 million by 2050.
Most Feared: When 65+ year olds were asked what disease or condition they were most afraid of getting, 56 percent cited memory-robbing dementia.
Good News: A bit of good news is that the prevalence rate of dementia has declined in some countries, including in the US. And researchers think it may in part be due to increases in levels of education, which seems to protect people from getting dementia.
For a disease many of us fear, the message is hopeful: Dementia is not necessarily inevitable.
While both Atrial fibrillation and dementia have been linked to aging, neither is a normal part of growing older.
Reducing Your Risk of Developing Dementia
You CAN influence or avoid developing dementia. Review these articles to learn more about the link between Atrial Fibrillation and dementia:
1. Anticoagulants, Dementia and Atrial Fibrillation
2. Increased Dementia Risk Caused by A-Fib: 20 Year Study Findings
3. FAQ: “I’m scared of getting dementia. Can the right minerals help? I’ve read about the link with A-Fib. What does research reveal about this risk?”
4. Leaving Patients in A-Fib Doubles Risk of Dementia—The Case for Catheter Ablation
5. FAQ: I’m concerned because Vitamin D deficiency has been tied to both A-Fib and Dementia. What is a normal level of Vitamin D
A-Fib Patients & Strategies to Prevent Dementia
What doesn’t work: current drugs, even statins, don’t work or have mixed results in preventing dementia.
What does work: Catheter ablation to eliminate your Atrial Fibrillation. Patients who get a catheter ablation have long-term rates of dementia similar to people without A-Fib. (This result holds regardless of their initial CHADS2 score.)
Don’t Settle. Seek your A-Fib cure: To decrease your increased risk of dementia, your goal should be to get your A-Fib fixed and get your heart beating normally again. We can’t say it enough:
Do not settle for a lifetime on meds. Seek your A-Fib cure.
