* Conducted on patients aged 85 and older from 2013 to 2018, the study found that while anticoagulation reduced the risk of embolisms, it also increased the risk of bleeding in both dementia and non-dementia groups.
* Importantly, anticoagulation was linked to lower mortality rates only in patients without dementia, suggesting the need for tailored treatments in this vulnerable population.
A study examined the effects of oral anticoagulation on patients aged 90 and older with atrial fibrillation, finding that this group is often underrepresented in clinical trials.
Out of 1,750 nonagenarians analyzed over an average follow-up of nearly 24 months, DOACs showed a lower risk of death and embolic events compared to no anticoagulation, while VKAs did not demonstrate a significant difference.
Both DOACs and VKAs were linked to a higher risk of major bleeding, with VKAs also associated with an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage, highlighting the need for careful management of anticoagulation in this age group.