Mild Cognitive Impairment Common in Patients with Chronic AF

Assessment of cognitive functioning should be a routine component of clinical management in older patients.

Patient adherence to treatments for atrial fibrillation (AF) may be hampered by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can diminish the capacity to carry out the self-care tasks critical to effective disease management. Current estimates of MCI prevalence in patients with chronic AF vary widely.

Investigators conducted a prospective substudy of randomized trial data to assess cognitive function in 260 nondemented patients with chronic AF (mean age, 72; 53% men; mean CHA₂DS₂-VASc score [available online], 4) hospitalized at multiple sites in Australia. MCI was defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score less than 26. At hospital discharge, 169 patients (65%) had MCI (mean MoCA score, 21). The largest identified deficits were in th…

Reviewing Author

Beat J. Meyer, MD

Disclosures

Leadership positions in professional societiesBern Heart Foundation (President); International Academy of Medicine, Bern, Switzerland (Director)

Beat J. Meyer, MD

Disclosures

Leadership positions in professional societiesBern Heart Foundation (President); International Academy of Medicine, Bern, Switzerland (Director)

Mild Cognitive Impairment Common in Patients with Chronic AF

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Reviewing Author