Heart Failure Linked to Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias

While evidence shows that Alzheimer disease (AD) and AD-related dementias can coexist with heart failure (HF), researchers examined the prevalence and impact on health care utilization.

Study authors identified 6336 patients from 7 southeastern Minnesota counties who were diagnosed with HF between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018. Researchers utilized the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse Algorithm and followed patients through March 31, 2020.

Associations between AD and AD-related dementias and hospitalizations and death were examined using Cox and Andersen-Gill models.

The mean age of patients was 75 years, 48% were female, and 10% carried a diagnosis of AD/AD-related dementias when diagnosed with HF. During the 3-year cumulative there was a 17% diagnosis of AD/AD-related dementias after the diagnosis of HF.

According to researchers, a 2.7 times increased risk of death occurred in patients diagnosed with AD/AD-related dementias before HF, but there was no increased risk of hospitalization.

A 3.7 times increased risk of death and a 73% increased risk of hospitalization occurred in patients who were diagnosed with AD/AD-related dementias after their HF diagnosis.

“… More than one-fourth of patients with HF received a diagnosis of AD and AD-related dementias either before or after HF diagnosis,” concluded study authors. “AD and AD-related dementias markedly increases the risk of adverse outcomes in HF underscoring the need for future studies focused on holistic approaches to improve outcomes.”

Reference:
Manemann SM, Knopman DS, Sauver JS, et al. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and heart failure: a community study. J Am Geriatr Soc. Published online March 18, 2022. doi:10.1111/jgs.17752