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HealthQuiet 3d · day 6

NOAC blood thinners may slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients

Swedish study finds newer anticoagulants associated with modest but potentially meaningful slowing of memory loss in people with both Alzheimer's and atrial fibrillation.

newest coverage 3d agosummary written 3d ago3 pieces NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • Swedish study of 7,308 people with both Alzheimer's and atrial fibrillation found NOAC blood thinners linked to slower cognitive decline (>0.2 MMSE points/year) vs. warfarin or no treatment.
  • Effect is modest annually but researchers suggest it could accumulate to meaningful impact over years.
  • NOAC users also showed lower risks of death, stroke, blood clots, and fractures; study limitations prevent proof of direct causation.

“Because it was observational, the results cannot prove that NOACs directly caused the slower cognitive decline or the other health benefits seen in the data.”

Karolinska Institutet researchers, Study authors · Science Daily ↗ · Sep 17

Maria Eriksdotter Lead researcher, Karolinska InstitutetNanbo Zhu Researcher, Karolinska InstitutetKarolinska Institutet Research institution

NOAC blood thinners may slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients
Science Daily

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

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Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 3:50 AM ET
  1. 1

    Researchers note limitations of observational study design

    Karolinska researchers emphasized that because the study was observational rather than randomized, the findings cannot prove NOACs directly caused the cognitive benefits observed, and some confounding factors could not be fully evaluated.

    • psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org

      DATE: September 21, 2026 at 01:51PM SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORG TITLE: New Blood Thinners May Help Alzheimer’s Patients, Study Finds URL: http://www. socialpsychology.org/client/re direct.php?from=rss_feed&id=191454&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003732.htm Source: Science Daily - Top News Newer blood thinners may do more…

      psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.orgMastodon3d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. background

    Study reveals additional health benefits of NOACs beyond cognition — Analysis of 7,308 Swedish registry patients showed NOAC users had lower risks of death, stroke, blood clots, and fractures compared to untreated controls, though warfarin also reduced death and clot risk but carried higher major bleeding risk.

  3. 2

    Karolinska Institutet study links NOACs to slower Alzheimer's cognitive decline

    Swedish researchers published findings in the European Heart Journal showing that people with both atrial fibrillation and Alzheimer's disease who took NOAC blood thinners showed significantly slower cognitive decline (>0.2 MMSE points annually) compared to those on warfarin or no anticoagulant treatment.

    “There are reasons to believe that the treatment could have a positive effect on cognition, for example by improving blood flow and reducing small-scale damage in the brain.”
    — Maria Eriksdotter
    1. 2 outlets These blood thinners may have an unexpected benefit for Alzheimer’s patients

      first by sciencedaily.com, 5d ago · also Science Daily