Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation

September 9, 2021

Atrial fibrillation affects almost 20 percent of people with dementia. A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine analyzed how frequently anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation is continued in people with dementia. The authors used Medicare data from over 15,000 nursing home residents with atrial fibrillation and advanced dementia, a third of whom had received anticoagulation in the last six months of their life.

Read the summary, “Anticoagulation Common Near End of Life in Dementia Patients with Atrial Fibrillation,” before testing your understanding with the following quiz.

Which of the following related facts or study findings is false?

A) As neurological symptoms from dementia worsen, the potential benefits of stroke prevention via anticoagulation are decreased.

B) Current practice guidelines contain clear standards for discontinuing anticoagulation in patients with dementia and atrial fibrillation.

C) Current practice guidelines contain well-defined thresholds for starting anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

D) The researchers found that patients with several markers of very high short-term mortality were more likely to receive anticoagulants that those who lacked these poor prognostic indicators.