Premature Atrial Contraction Frequency and Cognitive Function

Dr. Lin Yee Chen, a tenured Professor of Medicine and Director of Electrophysiology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN, shares results of his study appearing in the May 2021 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings where he measured premature atrial contractions in a cohort of patients to see if there was any correlation with cognitive function or dementia. He and his coauthors found that in community-dwelling older adults without atrial fibrillation, frequent premature atrial contractions were cross-sectionally associated with lower cognitive function and greater prevalence of dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Results from the study support the notion that atrial cardiomyopathy may be a driver of atrial fibrillation-related outcomes. Available at: mayocl.in/3sWc9sa